Methods and apparatus for identifying an analyte in a sample are provided. The apparatus comprises an electromagnetic radiation (EMR) source in optical communication with a receptor. The receptor for receiving a sample and detecting if the sample has been presented to the receptor in a predefined manner. The receptor further directing the EMR received from the EMR source to the sample. The apparatus also comprises a detector in optical communication with the receptor the detector for capturing transmitted reflected scattered EMR or a combination thereof from the sample received from the receptor. The apparatus further comprises a user interface for presenting information obtained from the sample and the receptor and the characteristics of one or more analytes in the sample and a communications unit in operative association with the detector for transmitting the characteristics of one or more analytes in the sample to a processor or spectrograph.
