The cathodic compartment of the alkaline manganese batteries is contaminated by zinc ions from the anodic compartment during discharging: in this work we consider how discharging conditions affect the zinc concentration in the cathodic compartment. Various conditions of discharging have been tested and the mean and local concentration of zinc in the cathodic compartment has been determined. Experimental results show that the cathodic compartment of discharged batteries contains a small concentration of zinc, and that the discharge conditions and the discharging level affect the concentration of the zinc in this compartment. A deeper knowledge of the chemical composition of spent batteries improves recycling processes and allows the cathodic and anodic materials to be recovered separately.