The Response of Evidential Breath Alcohol Testing Instruments with Subjects Exposed to Organic Solvents and Gases II. White Spirit and Nonane

Following exposure to white spirit vapour, the effect of the expired solvent on evidential, breath alcohol equipment was investigated under controlled exposure chamber conditions and in a simulated painting exercise. Five volunteers inhaled the solvent in an exposure chamber at a concentration of 100ppm for periods up to 4h 17min. Two other volunteers were exposed to white spirit while painting with domestic gloss paint in an unventilated room under which conditions exposure concentrations reached 185ppm for 20min. Following all white spirit exposures, volunteers underwent breath test with the Lion Intoximeter 3000. In all instances the apparent alcohol responses were very small and never exceeded a reading of 1mug/100ml for breath samples more than 10min post-exposure. Simultaneous analytical work was conducted to demonstrate that white spirit was absorbed during exposure and was present in the breath and blood after the volunteers had left the exposure atmospheres. A further study involved the exposure of a volunteer to nonane vapour at 100ppm, demonstrating that this compound, being one of the principal components of white spirit, appears to be a good model for studying the uptake and elimination of white spirit. (A*)