An automated cascade impactor, comprising: a vertical array of a plurality of impactor stages wherein each one of said plurality of impactor stages comprises an impactor plate, and a vertical array of a plurality of isolation stages characterized by said vertical array of a plurality of isolation stages comprising vertically arranged pairs (336-U, 336-L)of isolation stages, wherein each pair of said vertically arranged pairs of isolation stages comprises an upper isolation stage (336-L) and a lower isolation stage (336-U); each one of said upper and lower isolation stages of a pair of isolation stages has a centrally recessed portion (372, 373) defined therein for receiving one of said impactor plates from one of said plurality of impactor stages; and a gripper arm assembly is provided for gripping said impactor plates, disposed within said plurality of impactor stages, and transferring said impactor plate from said plurality of impactor stages to said centrally recessed portions defined within said plurality of isolation stages, whereby, when said plurality of impactor stages and said plurality of isolation stages are moved toward each other in an interdigitated manner, each pair (336-L) of said plurality of isolation stages, that is, an upper isolation stage (336-2-U) and a lower isolation stage (336-2-L), is interposed between successive impactor stages of said plurality of impactor stages, while at the same time, each impactor stage of said plurality of impactor stages is interposed between a lower isolation stage (336-1-L) of an upper pair of said plurality of isolation stages and an upper isolation stage (336-2-U) of a successively lower pair of said plurality of isolation stages. a vertical array of a plurality of impactor stages wherein each one of said plurality of impactor stages comprises an impactor plate, and a vertical array of a plurality of isolation stages vertical array of a plurality of isolation stages comprising vertically arranged pairs (336-U, 336-L)of isolation stages, wherein each pair of said vertically arranged pairs of isolation stages comprises an upper isolation stage (336-L) and a lower isolation stage (336-U); each one of said upper and lower isolation stages of a pair of isolation stages has a centrally recessed portion (372, 373) defined therein for receiving one of said impactor plates from one of said plurality of impactor stages; and a gripper arm assembly is provided for gripping said impactor plates, disposed within said plurality of impactor stages, and transferring said impactor plate from said plurality of impactor stages to said centrally recessed portions defined within said plurality of isolation stages, whereby, when said plurality of impactor stages and said plurality of isolation stages are moved toward each other in an interdigitated manner, each pair (336-L) of said plurality of isolation stages, that is, an upper isolation stage (336-2-U) and a lower isolation stage (336-2-L), is interposed between successive impactor stages of said plurality of impactor stages, while at the same time, each impactor stage of said plurality of impactor stages is interposed between a lower isolation stage (336-1-L) of an upper pair of said plurality of isolation stages and an upper isolation stage (336-2-U) of a successively lower pair of said plurality of isolation stages.