What is flagged as an interferent in a breath sample analysis?

In the context of breath sample analysis, a unique fingerprint is flagged as an interferent, primarily because it signifies an individual characteristic that can potentially alter or confuse the results of the analysis. The Intoxilyzer 9000 is designed to detect and quantify alcohol concentrations in breath samples. If a breath sample contains unique components that do not correspond to alcohol, such as those found in a fingerprint, it may affect the accuracy of the measurements.

In comparison, other factors like high temperature, low humidity, and excessive movement are not unique identifiers but rather environmental or physical conditions that typically do not interfere with the breathalyzer's ability to analyze alcohol accurately. For instance, high temperatures and low humidity could potentially affect the vapor pressure of breath but do not uniquely identify an individual, whereas a fingerprint provides specific identification that could mislead the analysis. Thus, recognizing unique fingerprints as interferents underscores the importance of clear and effective breath sample analysis without individual identifiers influencing results.