Natron

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Natron is a white, crystalline hygroscopic mineral salt, primarily a mixture of sodium bicarbonate (common baking soda) and sodium carbonate (soda ash) with small amounts of sodium chloride (table salt) and sodium sulfate. Natron is somewhat antiseptic and is also an exfoliant and a desiccant.

In ancient Egypt, natron was mined as a powdery solid from dry lake beds near the Nile River and put to a wide variety of uses, including mummification (drying out a corpse to prevent tissue decay), it was also added to castor oil to produce a smokeless fuel which allowed Egyptian artisans to paint elaborate artworks inside ancient tombs without them becoming besmirched with soot. Because it has strong grease-cutting properties, natron has also been associated with soap production. Natron was commonly used in glass-making, by the Romans and others, until trade declined after 640 AD.

The chemical symbol for sodium, Na, is derived from the Roman term natrium. Natron is sometimes referred to as "impure salt".

Natron is used to make Bavarian pretzels. The dough is dipped into a natron solution to give it its brown color and distinctive flavor when baked.

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