Apparatus for and method of collecting trace samples for analysis

A hand held sampling apparatus for collecting a sample of at least one of solid particles, aerosols, droplets and trace chemicals on a substrate which is in sheet form and comprises a central working portion and an edge portion substantially extending around the central working portion, for analysis in an analyzer, the apparatus comprising:

• a handle;
• a head connected to and extending from the handle and including a bore;
• an arm pivotally mounted to the handle and including a first end and a second end;
• a retaining means provided on the head for retaining the substrate within the bore of the head and a projection means provided on the first end of the arm, the first end of the arm and the projection means being movable relative to the head between an open configuration, in which the projection means is spaced from the head to permit insertion and removal of the substrate, and a closed configuration, in which the edge portion of the substrate is trapped between the retaining means and the projection means, which the projection means projects through the bore causing the working portion to project outwardly;
• and
• a retaining clip means provided between the handle and the second end of the arm, for retaining the arm in the closed configuration.

A hand held sampling apparatus for collecting a sample of at least one of solid particles, aerosols, droplets and trace chemicals on a substrate which is in sheet form and comprises a central working portion and an edge portion substantially extending around the central working portion, for analysis in an analyzer, the apparatus comprising:

• a handle;
• a head having one free end and another end connected to the handle, the head extending from the handle and including a projecting body between said one free end and said another end around which the substrate is located;
• and
• retaining means adjacent said another end for retaining the substrate around and closely adjacent to the projecting body, for presenting the working portion for collection of the sample and for enabling mounting and removal of the substrate from the apparatus, the retaining means contacting only the edge portion of the substrate to secure the substrate to the sampling apparatus.