A high-performance passive sampler was developed for short-term, low-level air monitoring applications. The small, stainless-steel device is simply designed and inexpensive. It has a high equivalent sampling rate, is reusable and rechargeable and is designed for thermal desorption. Laboratory and field tests with Tenax GC as the sorbent have shown that the device compares very favorably with active (pump-based) samplers and has much better sensitivity than commercial passive monitors which utilize activated charcoal. Performance was examined under controlled test chamber atmospheres and in actual outdoor and indoor situations. Sampling rates were calculated for several volatile organic chemicals. An extensive evaluation of the effects of air velocity on performance also was undertaken. (Copyright (c) 1984 American Chemical Society.)