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Permalink Reply by dbob on June 16, 2016 at 12:13

Gerald

I think it is.  That said, the claim regarding the lab is likely to be much ado about nothing, depending on how Range represented the results to the landowner.  Most commercial labs, and I assume the TestAmerica lab in question follow a rigorous calibration, tracking, and validation process, and are accredited by NELAP/NELAC.  

Preliminary results are often available well before final completion of validation/calibration and the ability of a lab to reliably detect and quantify a particular chemical may change from batch to batch based on the calibration and validation.  A report detailing several hundred non-detected compounds, or compounds possibly detected at concentrations where detection is not demonstrably accurate or reliable, can be very confusing.  So most labs will offer some degree of customization to reduce the clutter.  

So it would not be uncommon for a lab to report a different preliminary value from a final value, and potentially customize a report based on the need of a project for appearance sake.  As an example, If I sent an analysis in for chloride in water, the lab is going to run it in a batch with a number of other samples, likely for other parties and purposes.  Their equipment may measure sulfate, nitrate, nitrite, bromide, or similar things, among others, in my sample, but I have no need of that data.  The lab generally retains that data (e.g. bromide) even if I don't ask for it.  The analysis for chloride may come back initially at 200 parts per million.  So that may be what I see on the computer when looking at preliminary data.  But whoops, there was a dilution that was not accounted for and the concentration is 5X higher.  So now my concentration is 1000 ppm chloride, and there is data that exists (bromide) that is not on my report.  

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