Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: syhprum on 29/01/2010 20:27:32

Title: How is blood alcohol level calculated?
Post by: syhprum on 29/01/2010 20:27:32

I am an 85kg male with reasonably active liver and kidneys, how much alcohol do I need to consume over a short period to achieve a blood/alcohol ratio of 0.08%.

Title: Re: How is blood alcohol level calculated?
Post by: lightarrow on 30/01/2010 01:34:10

~ 0.85*10^-3 * 85kg ≈ 72g of alcohol.
It's a formula I found in the net, so don't know how much reliable.

Title: Re: How is blood alcohol level calculated?
Post by: yor_on on 30/01/2010 13:11:24

Not planning on drinking and driving are you?
Uh uh, bad idea :)

Title: Re: How is blood alcohol level calculated?
Post by: lightarrow on 30/01/2010 14:24:31

I usually don't drink at all. Maybe a glass of sparkling wine on christmas, or in other similar holidays.  [:)]

Title: Re: How is blood alcohol level calculated?
Post by: syhprum on 30/01/2010 16:23:47

I find the maximum amount of 40% proof spirit I can consume without producing any ill effects the next day to be 175 ml which according to my calculation is 35 g of alcohol.
I would not drive sooner than 24 hours after consuming such an amount.

Title: Re: How is blood alcohol level calculated?
Post by: yor_on on 31/01/2010 02:55:03

Good, Good. And a good night to you too Sir. :)

*Twirling his baton*

Title: How is blood alcohol level calculated?
Post by: yor_on on 01/02/2010 00:50:52

I found this research on the net. Behavioral and Physiological Effects
of Alcohol on Man (http://www.psychosomaticmedicine.org/cgi/reprint/28/4/570.pdf)

It contained some interesting things :)
Not that I'm planning to become 'resistant' but?

--
 A long series of experiments with different doses and with different beverages has made it evident that the rate of disappearance of alcohol from the blood is not constant but increases with the dose taken, and recent experiments have shown that on spontaneous drinking of large doses the alcohol leaves the blood at higher rates in alcoholics than in normal subjects.23 In a first series of 29 alcoholics the rate of disappearance of alcohol from the blood averaged 0.0039 per milliliter per minute—a total of 164 mg./kg./hr. disappearing from the body. The alcohol intake was spread over many hours, and the average blood alcohol maximum in this series was 2.10/ml.

In a second series in a comparable material of 22 moderate consumers, having taken alcohol in multiple doses 1 to 2 times per hour for 8-10 lir., a total of 1 gm./kg. being consumed, the rate of disappearance of alcohol from the blood was 0.0022/ml./min, corresponding to a total of 101 mg./kg./hr. leaving the body. The average blood alcohol maximum was 1.84/ml.

-End of quote--

And beware of Listerine (mouth wash)
or use it for a joke on the breath analyzer.
It seems that at the first five minutes after inhaling it the breath analyzer will get a lethal reading of alcohol in your blood. That is, you should be dead :) And it seems to take up to eighteen minutes before the alcohol inhaled will be totally gone from being noticed.