What does the Air Blank procedure achieve in the testing process?

The Air Blank procedure serves to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the Intoxilyzer 9000 testing process by purging the instrument with ambient air. This step is crucial as it establishes a baseline for the test by eliminating any residual alcohol that may still be present in the device from previous tests. By introducing clean, ambient air into the system, the instrument can effectively measure breath samples without interference from prior readings. This step is essential in verifying that the device is functioning correctly and is capable of delivering precise alcohol concentration readings when a test subject subsequently provides a breath sample.

Calibration and measuring alcohol levels are conducted as separate functionalities within the testing process, while collecting breath samples follows after the Air Blank procedure, making them distinct from the purging function achieved through the Air Blank.