gonello said:Is it possible to cheat a fuel-cell based breathalyzer with oxidizing gases like nitrous oxide?
(For a brief explanation on how these types of breathalyzer works, see http://science.howstuffworks.com/breathalyzer5.htm )
An oxidizing gas is a gas that helps to facilitate chemical reactions by providing oxygen atoms to other molecules. Examples of oxidizing gases include oxygen, ozone, and chlorine.
An oxidizing gas can cheat a fuel-cell based breathalyzer by reacting with the alcohol in a person's breath before it reaches the fuel cell sensor. This results in a falsely low reading on the breathalyzer, making it seem as though the person has a lower blood alcohol content than they actually do.
Yes, it is possible to detect the presence of an oxidizing gas in a breathalyzer test. Various methods, such as using different types of fuel cells or adding a chemical tracer, have been developed to detect the presence of oxidizing gases and prevent cheating on breathalyzer tests.
Yes, there can be legal consequences for using an oxidizing gas to cheat a breathalyzer test. In many places, it is illegal to tamper with or cheat a breathalyzer test, and doing so can result in fines, license suspension, and even jail time.
While an oxidizing gas can potentially be used to cheat other types of alcohol tests, such as blood or urine tests, it is more difficult to do so due to the controlled environment in which these tests are conducted. Additionally, the presence of an oxidizing gas in these tests may be detected and raise suspicion, leading to further testing or consequences.