Patent ID: 6881554
Filing Date: 2005-04-19
Classification: B01L,C12Q,G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for sampling a solid surface and collecting an analyte of interest, wherein the method comprises the steps of: a.) providing sampling wand comprising an internal reservoir and a reagent solution therein an external sampling swab, with a wetting solution absorbed therein disposed on a surface of the wand at a distal end thereof for picking up the analyte of interest upon the surface, a reagent solution within the reservoir, and a frangible seal disposed between the sampling swab and the reservoir; b.) contacting the surface to be sample with the sampling swab; c.) moving the wand across and in contact with the surface, and exerting pressure on the sampling swab to expel onto the surface an amount of the wetting solution absorbed in the swab so as to wet the surface and dissolve the analyte of interest from the surface into the wetting solution; d.) reducing the pressure exerted on the swab; e.) further moving the wand across and in contact with the surface so as to re-absorb the wetting solution having the analvte of interest from the surface dissolved therein into the sampling swab; and f.) pressing the sampling wand into a structure having a piercing member therein, so that the piercing member pierces the sampling swab and the frangible seal, and enters the reservoir so as to release the reagent solution from the reservoir and thereby compressing the swab against the piercing member and washing the analyte of interest through and from the swab so as to provide the sample of the analyte of interest from the surface.