Sample containment card for air or station contamination monitoring system and process

The method for supporting a separate sheet-like sampled filter specimen having a geometric perimeter for introduction into a radiation analyzer means for characterizing contaminant material contained by said specimen comprising:

• i) providing a tracking and identification card 10 comprising a sheet-like base means of substantially uniform thickness and having a) a substantially flat support surface with a focus axis oriented substantially normal to said surface, b) contact adhesive means on portions of said surface and including said axis, c) a plurality of specimen locator markings on said surface arranged substantially concentrically to each other about said focus axis, said markings lying predominantly radially outward from said adhesive means, d) an edge segment lying outside of said markings and having indicia means thereon for interfacing with an electronic indicia reader means for tracking the location and identity of said card and specimen within an electronic monitoring system, said adhesive means adhesively holding said specimen in a focused position on said support surface with respect to said axis, e) an elongated sheet-like protective cover means in peelable contact with and substantially overlying said adhesive means, and f) a protective leaf means having an edge portion hingedly connected to an edge portion of said base means;
• ii) peeling off said cover means and exposing said adhesive means;
• iii) transporting said specimen to said card;
• iv) placing said specimen thereon into contact with said adhesive means with said specimen's perimeter substantially concentrically positioned with respect to said locator markings;
• and
• v) folding said leaf means by way of said edge portion hinge means over said support surface and over said sampled filter specimen adhesively secured to said surface, whereby said specimen is protected from physical or chemical disturbance during handling of said card and specimen within said monitoring system, said leaf means being dimensioned such that the area of said surface which said leaf means overlies when said leaf means is folded over said support surface does not include said edge segment of said base means which contains said indicia means, whereby said indicia means is exposed to view when said leaf means is folded over onto said filter specimen.