Breath acetaldehyde following ethanol consumption

Abstract

Five pairs of volunteers were studied to determine the effect of drinking ethanol on breath acetaldehyde levels. On a given study day, samples of breath were obtained for measurement of acetaldehyde and ethanol from both participants at t = −1 h, t = −0.5 h, and at t = 0 to obtain baseline values. The drinkers were then given ethanol (0.3 g/kg body weight), and the controls given an equal volume of tap water. Breath samples were then taken at 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 h, and hourly until t = 6 h. The last sample taken was at t = 23.5 h. Acetaldehyde levels in breath were quantified with a fluorigenic high-performance liquid chromatographic assay. Blood ethanol was approximated using a breath analyzer. Acetaldehyde in breath rose 50-fold at the 0.5-h, time point and returned to levels not significantly different from baseline values by 3–4 h. The mean peak blood ethanol values reached 0.055%. The t 1 2 elimination for ethanol was 1.6 h, and that for acetaldehyde was 2.25 h. Elimination of both acetaldehyde and ethanol in breath were initially 0 order. A significant correlation ( r = 0.74) was found between baseline breath acetaldehyde levels and peak acetaldehyde levels. We conclude that acetaldehyde resulting from ethanol intake rapidly partitions into breath. The correlation of baseline breath acetaldehyde values with peak values found after an ethanol challenge indicate that measurement of breath acetaldehyde may be useful in the identification of individual differences in ethanol metabolism.