Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
3. Uluslararası ve 19. Ulusal Adli Bilimler Kongresi, Aydın, Türkiye, 3 - 06 Kasım 2022, ss.187-188, (Özet Bildiri)
Introduction: During the Covid-19 pandemic, usage of the hand sanitizers has become an indispensable habit of daily life. Using alcohol-based hand sanitizers causes various legal problems in traffic. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of alcohol-based hand sanitizers and cologne use on breathalyzer measurement values in open air and indoor environments.
Materials and methods: Healthy volunteers aged 18-65 years were included in the study. ARMAS brand NAM-19 model evidence featuring breath alcohol detection equipment was used. Testings were performed in both indoor environments which were created by providing an average passenger car interior volume (approximately 5m3) with styrofoam and outdoor. The effects of three different liquids,( 80% ethanol, 70% isopropyl alcohol, and cologne at 80 degrees,) on the alcohol concentration of the exhaled air were investigated. The measurements were taken at 0 second,5th second and 90th seconds and continued with 3rd, 5th and 10th minutes after all three liquids were applied to the hands and the cologne applied to the face. One of the two limit values specified as the limit for driving in the Traffic Regulation, 0.20 promil (the other 0.50), has been accepted as the legal limit in this study. The results were analyzed statistically.
Results: 22.9% for isopropyl, 88.6% for cologne and 74.3% for ethanol were found to be above the legal limit of the measurements made at the 90th second indoors. 1% of the measurements for isopropyl, 37.1% for cologne and 51.4% for ethanol were found to be above the legal limit at 3rd minute. At the 5th minute, 0% of the measurements for isopropyl, 11.4% for cologne and 14.3% for ethanol were above the legal limit. None of the measurements in the open environment were above the legal limit.
Conclusions: Using alcohol based liquids for sanitizing hands momentarily before measurements, affect the results and cause the legal limit to be exceeded. In addition to that; cologne applied to the face significantly increases the measurement values. It has been determined that the high values measured in the indoor area are reset at the 3rd minute after going out to the open area. Therefore further studies should be conducted and current regulations should be altered according to findings of this and future studies on this subject.