Phone No.
(780) 450-3957
Environmental consultants need laboratory data that answers specific site questions—not simply a long list of analytical results.
PBR Laboratories supports environmental consultants and project teams with soil testing for site characterization, suspected contamination, environmental investigation, remediation and reclamation projects throughout Alberta, Western Canada and Canada.
Depending on site history and project objectives, testing may include:
The analytical program should be built around:
site history → potential contaminants → sampling plan → laboratory analysis → applicable criteria → project decision
Environmental soil testing is most useful when the analytical scope reflects what may actually have occurred at the site.
Before selecting a test panel, consider:
This information helps determine what should be analyzed and where samples should be collected.
PBR's documented soil chemistry capabilities include parameters such as:
Soil chemistry can contribute to baseline characterization, environmental assessment and interpretation of site conditions.
Related Service → Soil Chemistry Testing
Petroleum hydrocarbons may be relevant where site history includes:
PBR's existing soil services document petroleum hydrocarbon testing for applicable soil matrices.
Results may support:
initial investigation → characterization → delineation → remediation → follow-up monitoring
Related Service → Petroleum Hydrocarbon Testing in Soil
Metals testing may be appropriate where historical or current site activities create reasons to investigate selected elemental concentrations.
The required metals list should be based on:
Detection alone does not establish that a site is contaminated because some elements occur naturally in soil.
Related Service → Metals Testing in Soil
Selected environmental investigations may also benefit from microbiological testing.
PBR's documented environmental microbiology capabilities include areas such as:
Microbiology may provide complementary information where biodegradation or biological remediation is part of the project.
It does not replace contaminant chemistry.
There is no universal soil-testing panel for every site.
Testing should begin with the potential contaminant sources.
Related Resource → What Should Be Tested During a Contaminated Site Investigation?
Baseline testing can provide analytical information about soil conditions before:
Baseline information may later help distinguish existing conditions from potential subsequent impacts.
The analytical panel should reflect the activities and environmental questions relevant to the site rather than using a generic suite without a defined purpose.
When contamination is suspected, the investigation usually needs to answer more than:
Was something detected?
More useful questions include:
This is where laboratory testing becomes part of the broader environmental decision process.
When a contaminant is identified, additional samples may be required to determine its distribution.
Additional locations can help evaluate how far an impact extends away from the suspected source.
Samples collected at different depths can help evaluate how far an impact extends below ground.
The laboratory provides the analytical values.
The broader environmental investigation determines how those results are used to characterize the site.
Soil and groundwater questions are often interconnected.
Depending on:
an environmental investigation may need to consider groundwater in addition to soil.
PBR provides environmental water testing for applicable groundwater and surface-water matrices.
Laboratory testing may be used throughout a remediation project.
A typical workflow can include:
Site history
↓
Initial sampling
↓
Contaminant identification
↓
Delineation
↓
Remediation
↓
Follow-up sampling
↓
Analytical review
Laboratory results provide evidence about the samples analyzed, but one result should not be treated as proof of conditions across the entire site.
Related Application → Soil Testing for Remediation & Reclamation
The quality of the laboratory data depends partly on the quality of the sample.
Sampling plans may need to consider:
PBR's decision framework identifies representative sampling and proper sample handling as important to producing useful analytical information.
Ask PBR about sample requirements before field mobilization.
The correct approach depends on the investigation.
Represent a defined location or depth and may be particularly useful when localized contamination is being investigated.
Combine material from several locations and may provide an average representation.
However, compositing can also dilute a localized elevated concentration.
Environmental consultants should select the sampling approach based on the decision the resulting data must support.
An elevated result should trigger a decision process, not an automatic conclusion.
Consider:
Related Resource → What to Do After an Elevated Soil Test Result
PBR Laboratories is based in Edmonton, Alberta, providing analytical laboratory support for environmental consultants and project teams throughout the province.
Projects may involve:
PBR's regional position allows environmental professionals to discuss analytical questions directly with the laboratory when the project requires more than selecting a test name from a list.
PBR supports environmental projects throughout Western Canada requiring soil, water, chemistry and environmental microbiology testing.
For multi-matrix investigations, PBR can help clients consider relevant analytical connections between:
soil → groundwater → surface water → environmental microbiology
where those matrices are applicable to the investigation.
PBR supports environmental consultants and project teams across Canada requiring applicable analytical soil testing.
The objective is not to prescribe the consultant's environmental conclusions.
PBR's role is to provide analytical laboratory information and practical technical communication that supports informed project decisions.
That distinction reinforces PBR's decision-focused positioning without overstepping the laboratory's role.
PBR's documented soil capabilities include soil chemistry, petroleum hydrocarbon testing, metals and selected environmental microbiology for applicable soil matrices.
The test panel should be based on site history, potential contaminant sources, previous results, applicable criteria and the decision the investigation needs to support.
Yes. PBR's documented soil capabilities include petroleum hydrocarbon testing for applicable soil matrices.
Yes. Metals testing is available for applicable soil matrices. The element list should be selected based on the site and project requirements.
Yes. PBR's documented environmental microbiology capabilities include several microbial groups relevant to environmental investigations, depending on the matrix and objective.
Yes. PBR provides environmental water testing in addition to soil testing, allowing applicable projects to consider more than one environmental matrix.
Not necessarily. The result applies to the submitted sample. Site-wide conclusions depend on sampling design, locations, depths and the broader investigation.
No. The result needs to be evaluated against the applicable criteria and project context.
Sample number and locations depend on the investigation design, site conditions and decisions being made. PBR can discuss laboratory sample requirements, while the environmental professional should develop the broader site-sampling strategy.
Yes. PBR supports projects throughout Alberta, Western Canada and Canada.
Tell PBR:
PBR can discuss available analytical testing, matrix considerations and laboratory sample requirements before submission.