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This article describes the results of a survey carried out during the years 2003-2004 to determine compliance with requisites to receive the Ministry of Social Protection's certification as decentralized in health in a representative sample of Colombian municipalities. The results are used to evaluate the validity of certification status as an indicator of decentralization and to construct an alternative decentralization scale. The study finds that despite being certified, municipalities do not meet all certification criteria. Although the number of fulfilled requisites seems to be related to certification status, there are no clear cut differences between certified and non certified municipalities in the type of requisites that are met. The proposed scale seems to capture both quantitative and qualitative differences in met requisites. The findings of the survey question whether certification status itself can be used as an indicator that adequately reflects the degree of health decentralization in municipalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies examining nanoparticles (NPs) and hazardous elements (HEs) contained in suspended sediments (SSs) are vital for watershed administration and ecological impact evaluation. The biochemical consequence of titanium-nanoparticles (Ti-NPs) from SSs in Colombia's Magdalena River was examined utilizing an innovative approach involving nanogeochemistry in this study. In general, the toxicity and the human health risk assessment associated with the presence of some Ti-NPs + HEs in SSs from riverine systems need to be determined with a robust analytical procedure. The mode of occurrence of Ti-NPs, total Ti and other elements contained within SSs of the Magdalena River were evaluated through advanced electron microscopy (field emission scanning electron microscope-FE-SEM and high resolution transmission electron microscope-HR-TEM) coupled with an energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis system (EDS); X-Ray Diffractions (XRD); and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). This work showed that enormous quantities of Ti-NPs were present in the river studied and that they displayed diverse geochemical properties and posed various possible ecological dangers. Ti-NP contamination indices must be established for measuring the environmental magnitudes of NP contamination and determining contamination rank among rivers. Finally, SS contamination guidelines must be recommended on an international level. This study contributes to the scientific understanding of the relationship of HE and Ti-NP dynamics from SSs in riverine systems around the world. [Display omitted] • Titanium nanoparticles frequently occur in natural media and may control key chemical growths • Titanium agglomerated particles was detected in suspended sediments samples • Fluvial suspended sediments contained hazardous elements • Environmental variation in sampled samples affects engineered titanium detectability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]