If you’ve ever noticed the aroma coming from someone who drank alcohol the night before, then you already have a basic understanding of the science behind transdermal alcohol monitoring. If an offender has been drinking, it shows up in the level of ethanol vapor present in their insensible perspiration.
While the technology that allows the SCRAM bracelet to effectively test and report alcohol consumption based on transdermal testing is relatively new, the science of transdermal testing is not. Transdermal—or literally “through the skin”—has been known for decades as a reliable way to transport substances, both through absorption and excretion. The science of transdermal testing is well studied, peer-reviewed, and documented.
