Validating the ASB 122: Best Practice Recommendation for Performing Alcohol Calculations in Forensic Toxicology

The standard Widmark equation has been used for more than 80 years to determine the concentration of ethanol at a given time point. The limitations of the equation have been well described and create disparate opinions. ASB 122: Best Practice Recommendation for Performing Alcohol Calculations in Forensic Toxicology was developed to improve the quality and consistency of performing ethanol calculations. The two normative references were used to develop an improved calculation to conduct retrograde calculations for ethanol. However, the new calculation is founded on populations that lack diversity that adequately reflect all ages, race, and modern bodies. A team of forensic toxicologists nationwide will be collaborating to successfully complete the goals of the project, with the support of an Institutional Review Board. The team represents two research universities with major health campuses, a state police agency, and a postmortem and antemortem laboratory. This study aims to address the knowledge gap by validating the ASB 122 calculations using a diverse population. The validation design will conduct 2 controlled ethanol dosing regimens that reflect more real world drinking habits in collaboration with law enforcement agencies across the nation. The study will include 400 volunteers of wide diversity considering weight, height, body mass index, age, race, and gender. Ethanol and biomarkers concentrations in blood, breath, and oral fluid samples will be evaluated at different timepoints during the absorption, distribution, and elimination of ethanol. Additionally, given the pervasive supply chain issues, different types of blood sample collection tubes will be compared to determine their suitability and any impact on the accuracy of the analytical results. The implications of the research extend beyond the forensic toxicology community. The traffic safety community, toxicology laboratories, and prevention and treatment teams will benefit significantly with the higher degree of confidence from a validated method. Workshops, presentations, and manuscripts will be used to disseminate the results of the project.  CA/NCF