letter to editor - Effect of Ethanol in Ice Drops® on Breath Alcohol Concentration

Published: Journal of Analytical Toxicology, Volume 20, Number 4, July/August 1996, pp. 271.

Effect of Ethanol in Ice Drops® on Breath Alcohol Concentration
R.D. Williams

To the Editor:
Ice Drops is a product manufactured by Oralabs, Inc. (Englewood, CO) that is intended to be used as a breath freshener. The liquid is distributed in small plastic vials and is available in different flavors. IcyMint™ Ice Drops consists of water, SD alcohol, Tween 20, glycerin, flavor (peppermint), sodium saccharin, and FD&C Blue #1. The total volume is 1/9 fluid ounce or 3.6 mL. The instructions on the vial recommend using one drop on the tongue.

Our facility was recently contacted by an attorney whose juvenile client claimed to ingest IcyMint Ice Drops some time prior to being subjected to a breath alcohol analysis for DUI. The individual’s breath alcohol concentration was measured at 0.03 g/210 L of breath, which exceeds the 0.02 g/210 L concentration established under the state’s zero tolerance law.
Using gas chromatography–flame ionization detection, two vials of Ice Drops were each analyzed twice for ethanol (Table I). The mean ethanol content was 40.8%, which is consistent with the concentration of 40% plus or minus 10% reported to us by the manufacturer subsequent to the analysis.

In calculations based on a 170-lb. body weight, it would require the consumption of 13.5 vials of Ice Drops within 1 h to achieve the alcohol equivalent of one 12 oz. beer (5% alcohol), one 5 oz. glass of wine (12% alcohol), or 1 1/2 oz. of 80-proof liquor (40% alcohol), which would result in a breath alcohol concentration of approximately 0.02 g/210 L.

Individuals stopped by police for suspected DUI are required to wait a period of 15 min under direct observation prior to administration of the breath alcohol analysis to ensure that recent oral ingestion of ethanol does not adversely affect the results, that is, the result of the breath analysis is directly related to the blood concentration and can be associated with driving under the influence. The effect of Ice Drops on breath alcohol was studied using a CMI Intoxilyzer 200. The test was conducted at various points in time up to 15 min to determine if residual breath alcohol concentrations occurred. As shown in Table II, a single drop of IcyMint administered on the tongue will produce measurable breath alcohol for as long as 4 min. Thus, the 15 min waiting period used for legal breath alcohol testing should provide reliable results.

Consequently, it appears that the juvenile would have needed to consume 20 vials of Ice Drops within the hour preceding analysis for a 0.03 g/210 L breath ethanol concentration.

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