Abstract: A method and apparatus for the detection of trace volatiles such as those produced by fungal decay of timber, comprising a sampling probe (10), comprising a housing (11) and bored barrel (12) adapted removably to receive an SPME device (14) in which a coated tipped fibre (15) is guided within a needle sheath (16) into the barrel (12), and a pump (19) is energised to draw a fluid sample over the fibre tip within the bore of the barrel. A motor (23) advances and retracts the SPME device (14) and its fibre (15) for a sample to be captured thereby and the captured sample is then released within an instrument having an array of gas sensors whereby any trace volatiles captured by and released from the coated fibre (15) may then be analysed by computer software to produce a fingerprint for the location and identification of the presence of trace volatiles at a site into which the sampling probe is introduced.