How can the Intoxilyzer 8000 show false positives?

The Intoxilyzer 8000 can show false positives due to the presence of other volatile compounds in a person's breath. While the device is primarily designed to measure ethanol, it may also react to other substances that share similar chemical properties. For instance, compounds such as acetone, isopropanol, or methanol can be present in the breath and may trigger a reading on the device that resembles alcohol consumption. This cross-reactivity can lead to inflated blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) readings, hence the potential for false positives.

The other options do not adequately explain the phenomenon of false positives. Detecting carbon dioxide is not relevant to alcohol detection, as carbon dioxide is a normal component of exhaled breath and does not indicate alcohol presence. Being specifically designed for ethanol means that the Intoxilyzer 8000 aims to accurately measure alcohol levels but does not eliminate the risk of interference from other substances. Lastly, while malfunctioning during testing can certainly contribute to inaccurate results, the question specifically pertains to how false positives can arise based on the presence of other compounds rather than equipment failure.