THE BREATHALYZER
The breath test is the most common means of testing blood alcohol content during a DUI related stop. Most police departments use the CMI Intoxilyzer 5000 series breath testing machine on suspected DUI offenders. Since these are so commonly used during traffic stops, if one has been arrested for DUI, it is almost certain that he or she was asked to blow into the CMI Intoxilyzer 5000.
Though the Intoxilyzer 5000 is the most commonly used breathalyzer in Georgia at this time, a great deal of research has been done on breathalyzers in general. It is difficult to find exact specifications about CMI’s machines because they are very cautious about sharing certain design elements they use. The basic function of the breathalyzer uses infrared spectroscopy which functions by a beam of light which is shot through the breath sample. If alcohol is present in the breath sample, the ETOH (ethyl alcohol) will absorb an amount of the infrared light. Unabsorbed light is then measured by the breathalyzer and multiplied by 2100 to give a measure of Blood Alcohol Content (BAC).
AttorneyTarget selected DUI attorneys are very knowledgeable about the science behind the breathalyzer machines that are most commonly used. Knowledge of infrared spectroscopy is necessary to understand that ethyl alcohol is not the only molecule that absorbs the 3.61 micron light wave. Ethanol (ETOH) is only one of several carbon containing compounds that will absorb this level wavelength of light. The reliability of the breathalyzer is based on the assumption that; as the amount of ethanol in the breath sample increases so does the amount of light absorbed. The issue is that ETOH is only one of the many methyl containing compounds that will absorb light at this wavelength. Have you used one of these items in the hours prior to your stop and not had any alcohol to drink? You could be at risk if you have just one of the over 100 compounds that contain this methyl group on your breath at the time of your stop. A top attorney will understand this and be able to fight to prove your innocence.