Automated collection and processing of environmental samples

A method for automatic monitoring of an environmental parameter at a plurality of collection sites, comprising the steps of:

• deploying sample collectors at each of the collection sites, and uniquely distinguishing at least a subset of the sample collectors from other sample collectors by associating with the sample collectors an automatically readable means representing an identity code;
• exposing the sample collectors at the collection sites to capture samples representing an effect of the environmental parameter at the collection sites;
• collecting the samples, and automatically reading the identity codes upon at least one of said collecting and said deploying, using a portable data entry unit having means for reading the identity code and means for determining a time of said reading, and storing the time of the reading, indexed to the identity code;
• communicating a plurality of said identity codes and times from the portable data entry unit to a base processing unit, and storing said identity codes and said times in a data memory coupled to the base processing unit;
• testing the samples for assessing exposure of individual said samples to the environmental parameter, and storing in the data memory a numerical assessment of said exposure, indexed to the respective collection site;
• generating at least one report of said exposure for each of the plurality of sample collectors;
• and
• uniquely distinguishing the collection sites by a site code fixed thereto, and wherein the identity code and the site code are optically read by an image grabber coupled to the portable data entry unit, the site code being read at least once during deployment of the sample collector and collection of the sample, for associating the sample with a particular site.