Alcohol is a serious problem for many generations. Each person has their own attitude to fun drinks. Some do not use them at all (unfortunately, their number is negligible), others do it regularly, which does not prevent them from driving in this state. According to the latest statistics, about 30% of all accidents are caused by a drunk driver. The traffic police are seriously concerned about the current situation, so employees strictly monitor the sobriety of drivers, using a special device for checks - a breathalyzer.
General information
Many people who have never encountered such checks do not know what the device is and how to calculate ppm in a breathalyzer.
This is a small device equipped with a special tube, the main purpose of which is to determine the amount of alcohol drunk in a unit of measure, ppm. For testing, the driver just needs to breathe into the device, and the result will immediately appear on the screen.
The first breathalyzers appeared in the USA (1930). They could only state the presence of ethanol in the blood, but it was not possible to calculate this in ppm.
Degrees of intoxication
Calculating ppm in the blood, you can determine the degree of intoxication of the car owner and determine what kind of threat he poses to himself and others on the road:
- 0, 5-1, 5 (initial). In this state, a person is already a danger. He has a slight violation of coordination, perception of distance. Characteristically cheerful behavior, impudence.
- 1, 5-2, 5 (medium). With further use of strong drinks, inhibition of all reactions occurs, which is unacceptable for the driver. The state is replaced by aggression, irritability.
- 2, 5-3, 00 (strong). They say about such people that he can hardly stand on his feet. Indeed, with this amount of ethyl alcohol in the blood, there are serious problems with coordination and consciousness.
- 3, 00-5, 00 (poisoning). The stage threatens the unfortunate driver with serious consequences, often with a fatal outcome. What can happen on the road with the car owner, one can only guess.
- 5.00 and above (lethal dose). The person is unable to move. High risk of heart attack and stroke. Only an ambulance can help in this case, but not always.
These indicators are generalized, since each organism is individual, so the stages may proceed with some differences.
Ethanol Harm
Many people are interested in how to calculate the ppm of alcohol, but they do not know that the systematic use of strong drinks harms the drinker himself and makes the life of others unbearable.
Contrary to popular belief, alcohol does not calm the nerves, but has the opposite effect. The feeling of euphoria that comes after a certain dose of intoxicating drink is quickly replaced by irritation, aggression.
In addition to the nervous system, alcohol negatively affects work:
- The brain. It impairs memory, causes tremors in the limbs and disrupts coordination of movements.
- Liver. Acetaldehyde, which is a breakdown product of ethanol, gradually destroys the cells of the organ (hepatocytes). This leads to a deterioration in his work and the emergence of various diseases.
- Pancreas. It causes chronic or acute inflammation (pancreatitis), fatty degeneration, tumors, diabetes mellitus.
The above organs suffer the most, but as a result of regular drinking, the blow is struck throughout the body as a whole. Therefore, instead of thinking about how to calculate the ppm of alcohol, you need to understand what consequences it can lead to.
Can I drink while driving and how much
According to the laws of the Russian Federation, drunk driving is the responsibility of persons who have exceeded the threshold:
- 0, 35 ppm in blood;
- 0, 16 ppm exhalation.
Many drivers puzzle over how to calculate ppm of alcohol in exhaled air without a breathalyzer, but such a calculation can only be done approximately.
Allowed indicators do not sayabout drinking and driving. Alcohol is sometimes detected in a completely sober person. This may be the cause of some physiological processes or a consequence of consumption:
- kvass;
- kefir;
- non-alcoholic beer;
- m alt bread.
Any product of fermentation can show unwanted ppm when checking, but if this figure does not exceed the allowable one, you should not worry.
Often, after drinking the day before, drivers get behind the wheel too early, not knowing how to calculate blood alcohol per mille. As a result, the device detects that the minimum threshold has been exceeded. Such a motorist will be punished with a fine or deprivation of rights (depending on the degree of intoxication and the circumstances under which the check was made).
Behind the wheel after drinking
In order not to get into unpleasant situations, it is necessary to approximately calculate ppm in the blood (based on the volume and strength of drinks, the weight of a person). Based on this figure, it is easy to determine the approximate time for the withdrawal of ethyl alcohol.
This is done using a simple formula or an online calculator. However, it should be remembered that many pathological conditions of the body can interfere with sobering up, so this fact must be taken into account when calculating.
Reasons for prolonged alcohol neutralization
The liver prevents the rapid elimination of alcohol in the first place. The more often a person drinks, the more his internal filter suffers. Eventuallyintoxication lasts longer, and hangovers are more severe.
The liver takes on about 70 percent of the entire load and processes alcohol into a decay product - acetaldehyde, which has an extremely negative effect on the human body. It can lead to alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis, oncology, etc.
The rest is excreted through the kidneys, respiratory tract and skin.
Also, the rate of ethanol neutralization will depend on the following factors:
- amount of drink;
- drink strength;
- the state of other internal organs, the body as a whole;
- weight and gender;
- quantity and quality of food eaten before, during and after the feast.
The lower the weight of a person, the worse alcohol leaves the body. For women, this happens 20% slower than men.
It has been proven that people who eat well during the banquet or before it start get drunk less.
Find out the ppm level yourself
How to calculate ppm:
- To begin with, the mass of water of a person is calculated. For this: 80 (weight)70%:100.
- Then the amount of alcohol drunk is determined using the example of 1000 ml of beer with a strength of 5 degrees. Required: 10000.05=5 ml, then: 50.79 (ethyl alcohol density)=3.95 g.
- 3, 96/56=0.7 ppm.
Thus, after only 2 bottles of beer, the level of ethyl alcohol will be significantly higher than the norm.
Liquor weathering time
How elseis the cherished ppm calculated? To do this, you can use the list below. It presents the most popular spirits, their strength and the approximate disposal time after which the driver is again allowed to drive. So, when drinking 0.5 liters of a drink, it will leave the body:
- champagne (11%) - 4.5-8 hours;
- vodka (40%) – 17:25-29;
- beer (4%) - 1, 45-2, 55 hours;
- beer (6%) - 2, 4-4, 2 hours;
- liquor (30%) - 13-21, 4h;
- port wine (18%) – 7.55-14h;
- liqueur, tincture (25%) - 9, 3-17, 3 hours;
- cognac (42%) - 18, 2-30, 3 hours
The minimum value is observed in people with a body weight of about 60 kg, and the maximum - at 100 kg or more.
What to do to make ethanol leave the body faster
First of all, you need to take care of your he alth and keep your liver in good condition:
- drink as little as possible;
- do an abdominal examination;
- take a course of drugs prescribed by a doctor;
- do not eat fried, smoked, too spicy foods or limit their quantity.
Recovery of the liver, depending on its condition and associated pathologies, may take about 1-3 months.
If you need faster results, it is recommended:
- a good meal beforeplanned feast;
- do not drink low-quality alcohol;
- drink one kind of spirits without mixing them.
Significantly increase the rate of ethanol excretion after a fun event will not work. This is only possible for medical professionals who perform special procedures using a dropper with a "life-giving composition".
From the foregoing, we can conclude that it is possible to calculate ppm from a drink only approximately. This complex process depends on many factors, the key of which is the state of he alth. Therefore, it is highly undesirable to drink alcohol often, and even more so daily. Regular consumption of alcohol threatens with a fine, deprivation of a driver's license, loss of he alth and family, condemnation of others and often death.
