Rapid Saliva Alcohol Test

The Zoom Health Rapid Saliva Alcohol Test is a simple, accurate and reliable saliva test that provides a quick estimation of blood alcohol levels. The test procedure simply involve touching saliva in the mouth or in a saliva container to allow saliva to be absorbed into the reactive pad. Results can be read by checking the colour of the test stick against the provided colour chart.

This test can be of use if you want to know if you are safe to drive the morning after heavily drinking the night before. The test is also useful for parents who are concerned that their children may have been drinking.

The Zoom Health Rapid Saliva Alcohol Test gives a quick and easy to read equivalent blood alcohol level result in 2 minutes.

4 levels are indicated by the Rapid Saliva Alcohol Test
0.0 if no alcohol detected
20 mg/100ml
80 mg/100ml
300mg/100ml

How accurate is the Rapid Saliva Alcohol Test ?

It is well established that the concentration of alcohol in saliva is comparable to that of blood. The relationship between the amount of saliva alcohol and blood alcohol is 1:1 while with breath it is .000048:1, making saliva a more sensitive testing medium than breath.

Test procedure

Nothing should be placed into the mouth for at least 10 minutes prior to saliva collection. This includes food, drink, tobacco products or other materials. The saliva specimen can be collected in a cup or a clean container, or directly applied to the reaction pad of the test strip.

Open the foil package and remove the test strip.

Saturate the reactive pad by dipping the reaction pad into the saliva specimen collected in a sputum cup, or by applying saliva directly to the reaction pad. After 10 seconds, shake off the excess saliva. Immediately start timer and at 2 minutes, compare the reactive pad with the provided coloured chart. Results after more than 2 minutes may be not accurate.

Results

Negative: Almost no colour change by comparing with the background. The negative result indicates that the BAC is less than 0.02%.

Positive: A distinct colour developed all over the pad. The positive result indicates that the BAC is 0.02% or higher.

Invalid: The test should be considered invalid If only the edge of the reactive pad turned color that might be ascribed to insufficient sampling. The subject should be re-tested.

This test ranges from zero alcohol present to the legal driving limit and above. The legal limit at the current time in the UK is 80milligrams of alcohol per 100millitres of blood. This is marked as 0.08% on the packet.

Can the rapid saliva alcohol test be used to detect the presence of alcohol in drinks?

It is possible to detect the presence of alcohol in other fluids, such as drinks. However, if used in this manner the colour chart on the outside of the package does not apply. If alcohol is present in the fluid a colour change ranging from a yellow/light blue/dark blue/black will occur as the alcohol concentration increases. Little or no colour change may occur with pure alcohol due to the absence of water, which is required for the colour change reaction.