Desarrollo de un programa de capacitacion cientifico-tecnica y fortalecimiento de un laboratorio medioambiental para mejorar la gestion de la calidad de las aguas en rios colombianos altamente contaminados (risk-cauca fase 1).

The aim of this study is to assess the likely impacts on the ecosystems due to agricultural, human, and industrial activities carried out in the Cauca river (Colombia). For it, a screening site-specific ecological risk assessment will be conducted. Considering the presence of high levels of potentially toxic substances, such as heavy metals and chlorinated organic compounds, aqueous and organic extracts will be used to assess toxicity in diverse environmental compartments (matrices such as sediments, water or biota) by using the photoluminescent bact eria Vibrio fischeri (Microtox) and/or the Daphnia mogno invertebrates as screening response variables. Sediment samples will be collected during two years in strategic I sampling sites of the Cauca river, and will be analyzed with screening toxicity tests and with lanalyical techniques. Usually, toxic responses are strongly correlated to high levels of I pollutants in areas under study. Therefore, the survey will be helpful to identify those hot lipots, and will also be useful to define the better strategies to reduce toxic pollution in the I Cauca river, and other colombian river basins