A high-flow rate, low-noise, gas sampling apparatus for collecting
particulate such as biological, chemical, and radioactive material from a
gas on a collector such as an impaction collector includes a housing
having an inlet and an outlet and a fan disposed within the housing for
drawing the gas into the inlet, past the collector for sampling, and
exhausting the gas through the outlet. The fan is operable to produce a
flow of gas through the housing of greater than about 50 liters per minute
with a noise level emitted from the apparatus being less than about 60
decibels. The apparatus may be configured as a compact, unobtrusive,
portable, lightweight apparatus for use in various indoor or outdoor
locations. The apparatus may also include a sensor for the detection of
radioactive material collected on the collector, a processor for
monitoring the sampling, and the apparatus may be linked to a
communications network such as the Internet. Methods for collecting
particulate from a gas are also enclosed.
