Abstract: Apparatus and methods for quickly and easily detecting trace amounts of metallic or non-metallic, electro-active substances, and in particular trace amounts of metals, such as lead in a portable, hand-held detector system with single potential control.

Abstract: Air polluted with potentially harmful chemical and biological matter is purified and pollutants degraded to less hazardous substances by a combined chemical and electrochemical process. Scrubber liquid-electrolyte circulated between scrubber and electrolyzer zones containing an electrochemically renewable degradant complexes or oxidizes the pollutants with the aid of an electrochemical cell in the electrolyzer zone which also reactivates the degradant in the scrubber liquid for recycling. Adsorption of insoluble organics is enhanced by stable surfactant additives to the scrubber liquid-electrolyte. Surprisingly, the electrochemical cell performs efficiently without separators or membranes when the non-working cathodes comprise Magneli phase substoichiometric titanium oxides which preferentially generate hydrogen instead of reducing redox couples to their inactive lower valence state.

Abstract: Amino acid free bases are prepared electrochemically without production of intermediate acid salts. Amino acids having reducible disulfide linkages and at least one basic nitrogen group are reduced at a high surface area, noncontaminating cathode to provide a current density of at least 50 mA/cm.sup.2, product yield of at least 90% and an operating current efficiency of at least 90%.

Abstract: Air contaminated with chemical and biological pollutants is purified by treating chemically and electrochemically in a closed system minimizing the generation of by-products for disposal. Pollutants are treated in a scrubber zone with a scrubber liquid-electrolyte comprising pollutant degrading metal ions or complexed with inert metal ions and degraded either in an electrolyzer zone or in both the scrubber and electrolyzer zones where spent scrubber liquid-electrolyte is regenerated for further cleaning.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell including an electrode comprising Magneli phase titanium oxide is disclosed for use with reduction oxidation reactions. The use of the Magneli phase titanium oxide electrode advantageously inhibits certain redox back reactions.

Abstract: Paired electrochemical synthesis reactions in which ethylene glycol is formed at the cathode of a membrane divided cell at high concentrations and current efficiencies, up to 99 percent. Simultaneously, a compatible process is also conducted at the anode of the same electrochemical cell by reacting indirectly generated anode products with organic substrates to form secondary products, such as polybasic acids. The process is especially advantageous in that such secondary products, where appropriate can be further reacted with the ethylene glycol prepared from the catholyte of the same cell to form useful tertiary products, especially polyesters like polyethylene terephthalate. Mole ratios of ethylene glycol and polybasic acid can be controlled through selective use of regeneratable redox reactant.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell including an electrode comprising Magneli phase titanium oxide is disclosed for use with reduction oxidation reactions. The use of the Magneli phase titanium oxide electrode advantageously inhibits certain redox back reactions.