The standard procedure for taking a dust sample must include these steps: layout the sample area; measure 1/10 to 1 square foot; prepare the tube; place gloves on; properly wipe the sample area in an 'S' motion with an approved wipe; place folded wipe in a sampling tube; clean up sampling materials.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not specified
• D. Only the wipe step is necessary

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that dust wipe sampling follows a precise, standardized sequence to keep results consistent and defensible. Laying out the sampling area and defining its size from 0.1 to 1 square foot ensures you sample a known, controlled surface area so results can be compared across homes and over time. Preparing the tube and putting on gloves protect the sample from contamination and preserve chain-of-custody. Using an approved wipe and wiping the area in a deliberate S-pattern helps cover the surface evenly and collect representative dust without missing spots. Placing the folded wipe into the sampling tube keeps the sample contained and ready for analysis, while cleaning up the sampling materials prevents residual dust from contaminating subsequent samples or scenes. If any of these steps are skipped, the sample may be invalid or non-comparable due to contamination or inconsistent area coverage.