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Elevated Concentrations of Acetone and Unidentified Compounds in the Breath of Alcohol Abusers
Author(s) -
Phillips Michael,
Greenberg Joel,
Martinez Victoriano
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/j.1530-0277.1989.tb00371.x
Subject(s) - alcohol , acetone , ethanol , chemistry , medicine , biochemistry
A highly sensitive gas chromatographic assay was used to measure volatile organic compounds in the breath. Samples of breath from three groups of subjects were studied: normal volunteers ( n = 15), acutely intoxicated alcohol abusers ( n = 11), and abstinent alcohol abusers ( n = 13). Acetone levels were significantly higher in the acutely intoxicated subjects than in the normals ( p < 0.05) or the abstinent alcohol abusers ( p < 0.05). Chromatographic peaks arising from 13 unidentified compounds in the breath were observed; two of these unidentified compounds were observed only in the intoxicated and abstinent alcohol abusers. Statistically significance was achieved in only one unidentified peak; elevated levels of this compound were seen in both acutely intoxicated alcohol abusers ( p < 0.01) and in the abstinent alcohol abusers ( p < 0.01) when they were compared to normal subjects.