APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF COLLECTING TRACE SAMPLES FOR ANALYSIS

摘要

A hand-held sampling apparatus and method are provided. The apparatus has a handle (12), a head (16) connected to the handle (12) and a mechanism for retaining a substrate (45) on the head (16). The substrate (45) is preferably a sheet-form flexible substrate which is mounted so as to present a collection portion thereof for collection of a sample. The substrate is preferably of a dimension so as to be readily fitted into the inlet portion of an analyzer. The apparatus enables an area to be sampled quickly and efficiently, while keeping a user's hands away from the surface, and this enables otherwise inaccessible areas to be sampled. It does not require any intermediate transfer steps, transferring a sample from a collection media to another substrate for subsequent analysis.