Physicochemical and environmental characterisation of natrons produced in the Dallol Bosso and the Zinder region basins

Physicochemical and environmental characterisation of natrons produced in the Dallol Bosso and the Zinder region basins | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Physicochemical and environmental characterisation of natrons produced in the Dallol Bosso and the Zinder region basins Alassane Yayé Boureima, Hassane Adamou Hassane, Ayouba Abdoulkadri, and 2 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9020054/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 8 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract In the basins of Dallol Bosso and the Zinder region, natron has been produced using traditional methods for several generations. The products obtained consist of collected natron efflorescence and natron bars. To date, no characterisation of these products has been carried out. This is the purpose of this study, which aims to characterise a few samples of these products in order to determine their physicochemical and mineralogical composition. The methodology is based first on preliminary physicochemical analyses, then on characterisation by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), and finally on environmental analysis. Preliminary analysis results have shown that the solutions from these samples are highly mineralised and alkaline. X-ray fluorescence analysis indicates that the samples are characterised by significant amounts of sodium oxide (Na 2 O), sulphur oxide (SO 3 ) and silicon oxide (SiO 2 ). X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses indicate that all samples are primarily composed of trona and burkeite. However, these samples also contain other significant minerals, such as quartz, halite, sylvite, gypsum and nahcolite. The results of the environmental analysis also show that the pollutants (TME: trace metal elements) contained in the samples are present in quantities below the ISDI (inert waste storage facilities) reference values. natron characterisation Dallol Bosso Zinder Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviews received at journal 18 May, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 13 May, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 12 May, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 31 Mar, 2026 Editor invited by journal 30 Mar, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 28 Mar, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 24 Mar, 2026 First submitted to journal 24 Mar, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9020054","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":615310750,"identity":"00a81942-5095-4e36-91a6-cf8a2db4970b","order_by":0,"name":"Alassane Yayé Boureima","email":"data:image/png;base64,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","orcid":"","institution":"Abdou Moumouni University, Niger","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Alassane","middleName":"Yayé","lastName":"Boureima","suffix":""},{"id":615310756,"identity":"754e51a4-44cb-44a1-889b-e05c63894c17","order_by":1,"name":"Hassane Adamou Hassane","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Abdou Moumouni University, Niger","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Hassane","middleName":"Adamou","lastName":"Hassane","suffix":""},{"id":615310758,"identity":"2196bb9a-666b-466c-868e-19c79888d433","order_by":2,"name":"Ayouba Abdoulkadri","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Abdou Moumouni University, Niger","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ayouba","middleName":"","lastName":"Abdoulkadri","suffix":""},{"id":615310760,"identity":"6ed107b6-9641-42e9-b2e5-46b0bdbaad0e","order_by":3,"name":"Ahmed Maazou","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Boubacar Bâ University, Tillabéry/Niger","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ahmed","middleName":"","lastName":"Maazou","suffix":""},{"id":615310762,"identity":"963a4e39-40e2-467d-ae27-66528aa392fb","order_by":4,"name":"Adamou Rabani","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Abdou Moumouni University, Niger","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Adamou","middleName":"","lastName":"Rabani","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-03-03 12:08:30","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9020054/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9020054/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":105888385,"identity":"ac07cef3-d9f1-4b33-894e-a437e2afed8e","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-01 07:44:06","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":559651,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Article2AL.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9020054/v1_covered_1afe1b86-ea8e-4b86-a4f2-0accb7152d0f.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Physicochemical and environmental characterisation of natrons produced in the Dallol Bosso and the Zinder region basins","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-minerals","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Minerals](https://link.springer.com/journal/44346)","snPcode":"44346","submissionUrl":"https://submission.springernature.com/new-submission/44346/3","title":"Discover Minerals","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"natron, characterisation, Dallol Bosso, Zinder","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9020054/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9020054/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eIn the basins of Dallol Bosso and the Zinder region, natron has been produced using traditional methods for several generations. The products obtained consist of collected natron efflorescence and natron bars. To date, no characterisation of these products has been carried out. This is the purpose of this study, which aims to characterise a few samples of these products in order to determine their physicochemical and mineralogical composition. The methodology is based first on preliminary physicochemical analyses, then on characterisation by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), and finally on environmental analysis. Preliminary analysis results have shown that the solutions from these samples are highly mineralised and alkaline. X-ray fluorescence analysis indicates that the samples are characterised by significant amounts of sodium oxide (Na\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO), sulphur oxide (SO\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003e) and silicon oxide (SiO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e). X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses indicate that all samples are primarily composed of trona and burkeite. However, these samples also contain other significant minerals, such as quartz, halite, sylvite, gypsum and nahcolite. The results of the environmental analysis also show that the pollutants (TME: trace metal elements) contained in the samples are present in quantities below the ISDI (inert waste storage facilities) reference values.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Physicochemical and environmental characterisation of natrons produced in the Dallol Bosso and the Zinder region basins","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-04-01 07:42:31","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9020054/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-18T13:50:56+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"284126113419566952709920946997237086557","date":"2026-05-13T08:17:25+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"82937828042876922647632319355759158368","date":"2026-05-12T08:34:29+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-03-31T13:12:21+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"","date":"2026-03-30T14:33:51+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2026-03-28T08:03:39+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2026-03-24T14:21:09+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Discover Minerals","date":"2026-03-24T14:12:41+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-minerals","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Minerals](https://link.springer.com/journal/44346)","snPcode":"44346","submissionUrl":"https://submission.springernature.com/new-submission/44346/3","title":"Discover Minerals","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"63f924f3-66b0-44dc-8cb2-b87ff8a7b801","owner":[],"postedDate":"April 1st, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-18T13:50:56+00:00","index":77,"fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"284126113419566952709920946997237086557","date":"2026-05-13T08:17:25+00:00","index":76,"fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"82937828042876922647632319355759158368","date":"2026-05-12T08:34:29+00:00","index":74,"fulltext":""}],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-04-01T07:42:32+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-04-01 07:42:31","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-9020054","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-9020054","identity":"rs-9020054","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}