Breathalyzer

A breathalyzer is a portable electrochemical or infrared sensor device that measures blood alcohol concentration through analysis of breath samples, enabling rapid intoxication assessment without requiring blood draws or laboratory analysis. The breathalyzer approach provides objective impairment quantification supporting law enforcement traffic enforcement, occupational safety programmes, and medical assessments.

Premium breathalysers employ fuel-cell electrochemical sensors or infrared spectrophotometry detecting ethanol vapour concentration in exhaled breath, with algorithms converting breath alcohol readings into estimated blood alcohol content (BAC) through standardised physiological conversion factors. Measurement accuracy typically achieves ±0.01% BAC, sufficient for legal threshold determination in most jurisdictions. Operating specifications cover breath sample collection requiring 4–5 second exhalation at defined flow rates ensuring adequate sample volume and deep lung air capture representing circulating blood alcohol concentration.

Breath collection mouthpieces employ disposable hygienic designs preventing cross-contamination between testing subjects. Internal pressure sensors verify adequate breath sample volume and flow rate ensuring reliable measurement. Temperature compensation algorithms adjust readings based on breath temperature variations improving accuracy across environmental conditions.

Data output includes numerical BAC readings with colour-coded indicators — green for legally-safe levels, yellow for caution, red for intoxicated — enabling rapid law enforcement interpretation without calculation. Portable battery-powered units enable field deployment at traffic checkpoints or workplace safety testing without requiring external power infrastructure.

Limitations include individual physiological variation in breath-to-blood alcohol conversion ratios, mouth alcohol contamination from recent consumption, and breath temperature variations affecting measurement accuracy.

In Pakistan, breathalysers support traffic police enforcement of drunk-driving laws and workplace safety programmes across major cities.

Tactical Supply Pakistan supplies breathalyser systems for traffic enforcement and occupational safety testing applications.