A Simple Colorimetric Method for Determination of Ethanol in Exhaled Breath Condensate

Background: Ethanol is considered as a toxic compound when used in excess amounts. The toxic concentration for ethanol was reported to be 1000 – 2000 μg.mL-1 in plasma and serum samples. The aim of the current study was to develop a rapid and catalyst free colorimetric method for determination of ethanol in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) sample.

Methods: A redox reaction with dichromate-based colorimetric method was used for determination of ethanol in EBC.

Results: The proposed method shows a good sensitivity and selectivity for ethanol in compared with other compounds and biomarkers existing in EBC. The color change can be easily observed by the naked eye in the presence of ethanol in the range of 300 - 8000 μg.mL-1. The quantitative detection of ethanol was fully validated and used for determination of ethanol in EBC of alcohol administrated individuals.

Conclusion: This catalyst free colorimetric method has great potential for ethanol determination owing to many desirable properties such as high reliability, high sensitivity, and fast response time.