An apparatus for capturing a target analyte in advance of performing spectroscopic analysis to determine the existence of the target analyte from a source contacted with a collection substrate. The collection substrate is fabricated of a material selected to have an affinity for the target analyte, sufficiently transparent in a spectral region of interest and capable of immobilizing the target analyte thereon in a manner that limits scattering sufficient to obscure spectral analysis. The collection substrate may be coated with a material selected to react with, bind to, or absorb the target analyte. The target analyte may be captured to the collection substrate by one or more of wiping, dabbing or swabbing a target analyte carrier with the collection substrate.

The present invention discloses, inter alia, swab, kit and a case, disclose a swab as defined above, administrable either or both into and onto a sample in a method comprising steps of providing the pouch-like envelope (1) with the opening (2), the inner surface (1i) and the at least one external surface (1e) with the at last one swabbing portion; inserting a handle into the swabbing portion; applying the swabbing portion either or both onto and into the substance; in-out rolling up the envelope so that the external portion hereto applied either or both onto and into the substance is position within the envelope; wherein at least one of the following s held true: the envelope characterized as a sleeve-like or sock-like elongated member having a main longitudinal axis, configured to be in-out rolled-up along the main longitudinal axis; and the envelope characterized as flexible pouch-like envelope, further characterized by being width-wise squeezable along an axis perpendicular to the main longitudinal axis thereby tightly encapsulated within at least two external case's walls. The present invention discloses a method for both sampling a substance and storing the same, characterized by steps: providing a pouch-like envelope (1), configured to be in-out rolled-up having an opening (2); the pouch comprises an inner surface (1i); and at least one external surface (1e) with at last one swabbing portion (3); the envelope either or both (a) characterized as a sleeve-like or sock-like elongated member having a main longitudinal axis, configured to be in-out rolled-up along the main longitudinal axis; and (b) flexible pouch-like envelope, characterized by being width-wise squeezable along an axis perpendicular to the main longitudinal axis thereby tightly encapsulated within two case's walls; inserting a handle into the swabbing portion; applying the swabbing portion either or both onto and into the substance; in-out rolling up the envelope so that the external portion hereto applied either or both onto and into the substance is position within the envelope; wherein at least one of the following is held true: the envelope characterized as a sleeve-like or sock-like elongated member having a main longitudinal axis, configured to be in-out rolled-up along the main longitudinal axis; and the envelope characterized as flexible pouch-like envelope, further characterized by being width-wise squeezable along an axis perpendicular to the main longitudinal axis thereby tightly encapsulated within at least two external case's walls.

Contamination detection systems, kits, and techniques are described for testing surfaces for the presence of hazardous contaminants, while minimizing user exposure to these contaminants. Even trace amounts of contaminants can be detected. A collection kit provides a swab that is simple to use, easy to hold and grip, allows the user to swab large areas of a surface, and keeps the user's hands away from the surface being tested. The kit also provides open and closed fluid transfer mechanism to transfer the collected fluid to a detection device while minimizing user exposure to hazardous contaminants in the collected fluid. Contamination detection kits can rapidly collect and detect hazardous drugs, including trace amounts of antineoplastic agents, in healthcare settings at the site of contamination.

The pocket detection platform (PDP) detects pathogens, toxins and chemicals of interest simultaneously by way of a multi-channeled, soft see-through plastic pouch design that consists of inner and outer compartments that promote compartmentalization and/or unidirectional sample flow. The platform enables the concurrent running of multiple detection assay techniques such as lateral flow immunoassays (LFI), Isothermal molecular assays (i.e., Recombinase Polymerase Amplification, or RPA) and/or paper-based chemical assays (i.e., M8, pH paper) from a single wet or dry sample with minimal sample processing. The PDP reduces soldier overburden by decreasing size weight, and power (SWaP) as well as training time, electronic burden, while providing a flexible, customizable assay platform that can be rapidly produced, assembled, sustained, and when contaminated, easily to dispose of.

A unique fiber core sampler composition, related systems, and techniques for designing, making, and using the same are described. The sampler is used to interface with existing field instrumentation, such as Ion Mobility Spectrometer (IMS) equipment. Desired sampler characteristics include its: stiffness/flexibility; thermal mass and conductivity; specific heat; trace substance collection/release dependability, sensitivity and repeatability; thickness; reusability; durability; stability for thermal cleaning; and the like. In one form the sampler has a glass fiber core with a thickness less than 0.3 millimeter that is coated with a polymer including one or more of: polymeric organofluorine, polyimide, polyamide, PolyBenzImidazole (PBI), PolyDiMethylSiloxane (PDMS), sulfonated tetrafluoroethylene (PFSA) and Poly(2,6-diphenyl-p-phenylene Oxide) (PPPO). Multiple polymer coatings with the same or different polymer types may be included, core/substrate surface functionalization utilized, and/or the core/substrate may be at partially filled with thermally conductive particles.

Detection devices, systems, and methods for detecting an analyte in a fluid sample are provided. The detection devices, systems, and methods can include colorimetric detection to rapidly determine the presence and/or quantity of the analyte obtained from a surface that is contaminated or suspected of being contaminated with the analyte. In one aspect, the detection device includes a sample reservoir in fluid communication with a fluid flow path. The fluid flow path includes a control well downstream of the sample reservoir, a valve assembly downstream of the control well, a reagent well downstream of the valve assembly, and a test well downstream of the reagent well. In one aspect, the reagent well includes a dried reducing agent configured to generate a gas in the presence of a detection dye and the analyte in the fluid sample.

A stream including at least one of solid CO.sub.2 particles or CO.sub.2 droplets is directed toward an article including surface particles. The stream causes at least a portion of the surface particles on the article to dislodge from a surface of the article. A purge cycle to transport at least a portion of the dislodged surface particles away from the surface of the article is initiated. The purge cycle includes generating a laminar flow at a first velocity for a first time period and subsequently generating a laminar flow at a second velocity for a second time period. A determination is made of whether a number of particles transported away from the surface of the article satisfies a particle criterion. In response to a determination that the number of particles transported away from the article does not satisfy the criterion, the purge cycle is re-initiated.

Sampling of food products and/or surfaces can be efficiently carried out by providing an apparatus comprising a bag construction incorporating a sample collection material secured to an inside surface of the bag. The bag is of a size large enough to permit inversion of the bag to expose the sample collection material for collection of samples from surfaces, followed by re-inversion to enclose the sample collection material. Methods for sampling food products and/or surfaces for detection of pathogens, microbial contaminants and/or constituents in products or on surfaces are additionally contemplated.

A system for sampling a sample material includes a probe which can have an outer probe housing with an open end. A liquid supply conduit within the housing has an outlet positioned to deliver liquid to the open end of the housing. The liquid supply conduit can be connectable to a liquid supply for delivering liquid at a first volumetric flow rate to the open end of the housing. A liquid exhaust conduit within the housing is provided for removing liquid from the open end of the housing. A liquid exhaust system can be provided for removing liquid from the liquid exhaust conduit at a second volumetric flow rate. A droplet dispenser can dispense drops of a sample or a sample-containing solvent into the open end of the housing. A sensor and a processor can be provided to monitor and maintain a liquid dome present at the open end.

A method is disclosed comprising providing a biological sample on a swab, directing a spray of charged droplets onto a surface of the swab in order to generate a plurality of analyte ions, and analysing the analyte ions.