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Alcohol testing is often required on several occasions. For example, to detect the cause of a single accident, before the pilot airs, or test work. The question is, if a person has never drunk alcohol at all in his life, could the test result show a positive reaction? Apparently the answer might be! How did it happen? The following is the review.
Types of alcohol tests
There are many types of tests that are commonly used, from urine, blood, breath, to ethyl glucuronide (EtG) tests. These tests are usually able to detect the presence of alcohol in the body. A urine test can detect alcohol within 12 to 48 hours of drinking it. While breath tests are usually only able to check within 24 hours.
One test that is quite accurate and can check for a long time is the EtG test. This test is used to detect ethyl glucoronide, a breakdown product of the intoxicating ethanol, in the urine. Usually it also serves to detect the levels of the substance in people who are prohibited from drinking it, such as liver transplant patients, school students, military personnel, case suspects, and others.
This one testing procedure is quite sensitive, it can even detect very low alcohol levels. This test can even detect the levels of these substances in the urine for up to five days after drinking them. Unfortunately, the EtG test can also read the exposure to alcohol in the products you use every day such as:
- Foods that contain alcohol
- Facial and hand cleansing products
- Mouthwash
- Breath freshener spray
- Deodorant
- Cosmetics
- Hair dye
For this reason, more than one type of test is usually carried out to obtain the most accurate information.
Why can you be positive for alcohol even though you never drink?
In some cases, people who have never drank alcohol may test positive after testing. Although confusing, this has been investigated through a study.
Research conducted by a research team at the University of Florida found that hand sanitizing gel (hand sanitizer) alcohol can enter and be absorbed into the blood. As a result, this leaves someone smearinghand sanitizer every few minutes can test positive for alcohol when done the test.
An assistant lecturer at the Faculty of Psychiatry from UF College of Medicine, dr. Gary Reisfield states that many hand sanitizers contain ethyl alcohol. This substance is the same type of alcohol in alcoholic beverages. In this condition, the body cannot distinguish the source of alcohol obtained from drinking it or from products used daily.
This fact was obtained by dr. Gary Reisfield of 11 volunteers who never drink alcohol at all. This expert and his colleagues then asked the participants to use hand sanitizer every five minutes for a period of 10 hours for 3 consecutive days.
As a result, almost all participants tested positive for alcohol after the EtG test. However, when comparing the levels of ethyl glucuronide and ethyl sulfate in the urine of people who use hand sanitizers with those who drink alcohol, the levels are much lower.
Therefore, it can be concluded that not everyone who tests positive for alcohol is an active drinker.
