and approximately 500 mg of NaCl. The standards, samples, and controls were then loaded into the autoinjector for anal- ysis. Each sample was tested in triplicate and averaged for re- porting. The limit of detection (LOD) for this method is 5 mg/dL, and the linear range and limits of quantification (LOQ) are 10–400 mg/dL.
Breath alcohol measurements were then taken to explore the ability of any of these beverages to produce a measurable breath alcohol reading. Subjects each consumed between 24.6 and 32 oz of a particular energy drink. Each energy drink was tested with a single subject, and each was tested only a single time. Subjects were directed to complete consumption within 30 min, and total consumption was achieved for all subjects be- tween 2 and 23 min, with median and average drinking times of 7 and 8 min, respectively. No direction was given as to the re- tention of the beverage in the oral cavity while drinking or at the end of drinking. Within 1 min of the end of consumption, an initial breath-alcohol test with a portable breath-testing instrument (Alco-Sensor FST®, Intoximeters, St. Louis, MO) was conducted. Subjects then completed a minimum 15-min observation period, at which time they were retested on the FST and also tested on the BAC DataMasterTM (National Patent Analytical Systems, Mansfield, OH) and the Intox EC/IR® II (In- toximeters). Prior to the analysis of the subjects’ breath, all three breath alcohol instruments were tested in triplicate with a 0.100 g/210 L vapor alcohol solution,
and all three responded to testing with accuracies within 5% and with result ranges within 0.003 g/210 L, or 3%.