One of the other famous characteristics of this spot of Egypt is. There used to be lakes of Natron salt on the mid-road of Cairo-Alexandria, almost all of them dried up now, but the places still known as Wadi El Natron or the Natron Valley. The lake is also fed by hot, mineral laden. Natron is the name of the salt that ancient Egyptians were using for mummification. The colour of the lake is vivid red due to presence of red colour pigment containing Spirulina (cyanobacteria). Lake Natron is principally fed by the Ewaso Ngiro River, which has its catchment in the central Kenyan Highlands. Lake Natron is a good example of salt lake as it is a highly alkaline in nature, situated in south Nairobi, Kenya. The pharaohs during that time extracted the Natron salt, which they used in the mummification process for their dead. Less alkaline lakes support the growth of cynobacteria while highly alkaline lakes support growth of both cynobacteria and alkaliphilic bacteria. During Pharaonic times, it used to be called, ‘Sokhty Hamam’ or ‘Wadey El Malh’ (valley of salt), because its lakes have abundant levels of natural salt. Salt lakes provide favourable environment for growth of organotrophic, halophilic ( Halorhodospira), alkaliphilic bacteria ( natronococcus sp.) sulphur oxidising bacteria ( Thioalkalivibrio, and Thioalkalimicrobium) and cynobacteria. In such extreme conditions only those living being can survive which are tolerant for such conditions e.g archaebacteria. Natron was harvested directly as a salt mixture from dry lake beds in ancient Egypt. Carbonate ions further form sodium and potassium carbonate and accumulate in the basin.Įnvironment of these lakes are extremely alkaline. Natron is a naturally occurring mixture of sodium carbonate decahydrate. Geochemistry of the regions is another reason for the origin of salt lakes.Ĭoncentration of the ions present in ground water through evaporation favor the formation of carbonate. Other theory suggests that water enter into the aquatic body during rain or surface run off and amount leave behind by evaporation leads to formation of salt lake. One of the theory suggest that rocks are made up of high amount of sodium carbonate washed out by ground water and accumulated at lake basin. Salt Lakes and salt desert around the world
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