What is the "wet-breath" effect in relation to BAC readings?

The "wet-breath" effect refers to the influence of mouth alcohol on the initial breath sample provided to the Intoxilyzer 9000 device. When a person has consumed alcohol, there may be residual alcohol present in the mouth due to drinking or recent exposure. If a breath sample is collected shortly after this consumption, the presence of mouth alcohol can lead to falsely high blood alcohol concentration (BAC) readings.

This effect emphasizes the importance of ensuring that the breath sample reflects only the alcohol present in the lungs rather than any alcohol that may be lingering in the oral cavity. To mitigate the "wet-breath" effect, operators of the Intoxilyzer are trained to ensure the subject has not recently consumed anything that could affect the reading, and they may wait a certain period after the subject has had a drink before testing. This process is crucial for maintaining the accuracy and reliability of the BAC readings taken by the device, and understanding this concept is essential for anyone working with breathalyzer technology.