Alcohol Concentration

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Definition - What does Alcohol Concentration mean?

Alcohol concentration refers to the amount of alcohol detected in a test subject's breath or blood. This concentration is reported in terms of grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath. For blood alcohol content, concentration is reported in terms of grams of alcohol per 100 millimeters of blood. Alcohol concentration is also referred to as blood alcohol concentration, blood alcohol content, blood alcohol level, or blood ethanol concentration depending upon the test used to measure the concentration.

SureHire explains Alcohol Concentration

Though it can be measured in terms of alcohol in a volume of breath, alcohol concentration is commonly referred to in law enforcement as blood alcohol concentration (BAC). Concentration in the breath is considered to be indicative of blood concentrations. When an individual consumes ethyl alcohol, the alcohol is absorbed by the person's body and enters the blood stream. The alcohol found in the blood stream will also be present in the person's saliva and other bodily fluids. As a result, breath, blood, and saliva all yield a concentration measure that can be converted to a blood alcohol concentration level. For reporting purposes, alcohol concentration is referred to as a blood alcohol concentration.

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