A method of analysis using mass and/or ion mobility spectrometry or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed comprising: using a first device to generate aerosol, smoke or vapour from one or more regions of a first target of biological material; and el mass and/or ion mobility analysing and/or ion mobility analysing said aerosol, smoke, or vapour, or ions derived therefrom so as to obtain first spectrometric data. The method may use an ambient ionisation method.

An apparatus for performing ambient ionization mass and/or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a substantially cylindrical, tubular, rod-shaped, coil-shaped, helical or spiral-shaped collision assembly; and a first device arranged and adapted to direct analyte, smoke, fumes, liquid, gas, surgical smoke, aerosol or vapor onto said collision assembly.

An apparatus is disclosed comprising a first device for generating aerosol, smoke or vapour from one or more regions of a target, an inlet conduit to an ion analyser or mass spectrometer, the inlet conduit having an inlet through which the aerosol, smoke or vapour passes, and a Venturi pump arrangement arranged and adapted to direct the aerosol, smoke or vapour towards the inlet.

A detector comprising an analytical apparatus for detecting a substance of interest, and a detector inlet. The detector inlet comprises a flow passage for carrying a flow of fluid, the flow passage comprising a sampling volume, and a sampling inlet adapted to collect samples of the fluid from the sampling volume as the fluid flows past the sampling inlet, and to provide the samples to the analytical apparatus, wherein the flow of fluid carries particulates. The detector inlet also comprises a flow director arranged to vary a spatial distribution of the particulates carried by the fluid to increase a relative proportion of the particulates carried past the sampling inlet along the flow passage without entering the sampling volume.

A kind of online PM.sub.2.5 concentrated collection instrument and method are provided including five parts: PM.sub.2.5 cutting head, water tank system, virtual cropping system, condenser circulation system and online concentrated collection system. Connected with PM.sub.2.5 cutting head, a water tank system contains water tank, electrical heating rod and temperature-controlled digital display device. Virtual cropping system contains virtual cutter, concentrated air vacuum pump, and main air vacuum pump. The condenser circulation system circulating condensate condenses to grow the saturated particles, condenser circulation system contains condensate circulation tube, condensing machine. The online concentrated collection system contains biological sampling bottle, solenoid valve with relay, automatic distillate collector and computer subdivision constant-current pump. Real PM.sub.2.5 samples could be concentrated by this instrument to 7-10 times with high efficiency which would provide technical support for the following on-line chemical component or toxicity test.

Disclosed is a dynamic demonstration method for water-soluble ion concentration and components of an aerosol. The method comprises: obtaining concentration data of each ion in an atmospheric aerosol of a target city in a preset time period and filling the concentration data in a data table; obtaining vertex coordinates of each ion in a Maucha graph according to equivalent concentration data of each ion; drawing an aerosol ion Maucha graph of the target city in each preset time period according to the vertex coordinates; and finally making a dynamic picture according to a temporal graph of aerosol ion concentration in various time periods.

One variation of a method includes, during a calibration period: triggering collection of an initial bioaerosol sample by an air sampler located in an environment; and triggering dispensation of a tracer test load by a dispenser located in the environment; accessing a detected barcode level of a barcode detected in the initial bioaerosol sample; accessing a true barcode level of the barcode contained in the tracer test load; and deriving a calibration factor for the environment based on a difference between the detected barcode level and the true barcode level. The method further includes, during a live period succeeding the calibration period: triggering collection of a first bioaerosol sample by the air sampler; accessing a detected pathogen level of a pathogen detected in the first bioaerosol sample; and interpreting a predicted pathogen level of the pathogen in the environment based on the detected pathogen level and the calibration factor.

An air sampling device and method of sampling air. The device has a housing body and a retaining assembly for a sampling device. A plenum has a top end coupled to the housing body about an opening such that the plenum is in flow communication with the opening and receives air flow generally from the top end to the bottom end generally along the longitudinal length thereof. A flow connection is coupled to the bottom end of the plenum. A mass flow meter has an input coupled to the flow connection and is in flow communication with the plenum via the flow connection. A blower is configured to draw air past the sampling device, through the opening, and through the plenum, such that a measuring portion of the air flows through the flow connection and through the mass flow meter, which measured the flow rate of the measuring portion.

In an example, a sample collection apparatus to collect sample from a detection subject includes a circumferential ring tubing surrounding an interior and configured to be moved between bottom ring tubing position and top ring tubing position. The circumferential ring tubing includes air nozzles along a circumferential length of the ring tubing to direct air flow toward the interior as the ring tubing is moved from the top ring tubing position to the bottom ring tubing position, to blow air toward the detection subject in a sample collection zone in the interior and to push a sample of the detection subject via an air flow toward a platform on which the detection subject is positioned. The sample includes particles and/or vapor of the detection subject. A receptacle is disposed below the platform to collect the sample carried by the air flow through collection openings of the platform to the receptacle.

A method of analysis using mass spectrometry and/or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed. The method comprises: using a first device to generate smoke, aerosol or vapour from a target comprising or consisting of a microbial population; mass analysing and/or ion mobility analysing said smoke, aerosol or vapour, or ions derived therefrom, in order to obtain spectrometric data; and analysing said spectrometric data in order to analyse said microbial population.