A portable Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) multicomponent point-of-care 
analyzer was tested for the diagnosis of methanol intoxications. Breath analysis 
with FT-IR was fast and easy, and no sample preparation was needed. The analyzer 
was adequately sensitive and accurate in detecting and quantitating clinically 
relevant amounts of ethanol and methanol in the breath of seriously ill 
patients. FT-IR spectrometry was also suitable for nearly on-line monitoring of 
the exhaled ethanol and methanol during hemodialysis. The breath analysis 
results correlated well with blood samples. The FT-IR method used also has a 
traceable calibration to physical properties of the analyte, and the measured 
spectra can be saved for later analysis.