The invention relates to a method for
sample preparation on a spectrometric sample support, comprising the steps of: (i) providing the sample support with an arrangement of individual liquid droplets, for example of washing liquid or
nutrient solution, each of which has
microorganism sediments enclosed in it; (ii) locating a plate of an
absorbent material containing cotton fibers, for example, above the sample support; (iii) lowering the plate vertically onto the sample support in such a way that
microorganism sediments and plate come into contact, whereby the droplets of liquid are absorbed into the
absorbent material; (iv) lifting the plate, which is locally enriched with droplet liquid, off the sample support, thereby exposing the
microorganism sediments that are depleted of liquid; and (v) preparing the exposed microorganism sediments for spectrometric measurement, by means of
infrared spectrometry or MALDI time-of-flight
mass spectrometry, for example.