Electrolytic Apparatus and Method for Treating Water to Remove Nitrates, Phosphates, Arsenic, Molecules of High Molecular Weight, and Organic Materials

A method of reducing concentration of a negative ion species in water, comprising:

• a. providing an electrolytic cell that includes an anode chamber, a cathode chamber, and a membrane there between, wherein said anode chamber includes an anode and wherein said cathode chamber includes a cathode, wherein said cathode has a surface capable of catalyzing reaction of the negative ion species with hydrogen ions and with electrons provided from said cathode;
• b. directing the water containing said negative ion species into said anode chamber and directing the water from said anode chamber to said cathode chamber;
• c. providing a voltage between said anode and said cathode sufficient to electrically generate hydrogen ions in the water at said anode and hydroxyl ions in the water at said cathode, wherein said membrane maintains a pH difference between said anode chamber and said cathode chamber and wherein the water directed from said anode chamber includes said electrically generated hydrogen ions;
• d. using said cathode surface for catalyzing reaction of said negative ion species with said electrically generated hydrogen ions and with electrons from said cathode to reduce said negative ion species and to substantially remove said negative ion species from the water.

A method of treating water, comprising:

• a. providing a water for treatment, wherein the water contains at least one contaminant material from the group consisting of nitrates, phosphates, arsenates, and a high molecular weight material contaminant, wherein said high molecular weight material has a molecular weight equal to or greater than 200;
• b. providing a source of metal;
• c. providing an electrode having a positive voltage to react with the water for treatment to provide hydrogen ions in the water for treatment, wherein said hydrogen ions react with said metal to form metal ions;
• d. providing an electrode having a negative voltage to react with water to form hydroxyl ions, wherein said hydroxyl ions react with said metal ions to form at least one metal oxide from the group consisting of a metal hydroxide and a metal hydrous oxide, and using said metal oxide to agglomerate said contaminant material;
• and
• e. filtering said agglomerated material out of the water.

A method of removing a material from water, comprising:

• a. providing the water for treatment, wherein the water contains a material, wherein the water for treatment has an entering pH;
• b. providing a metal;
• c. reacting said metal to provide metal ions;
• d. reacting said metal ions to provide a metal hydroxide or a metal hydrous oxide;
• e. agglomerating said material with said metal hydroxide or said metal hydrous oxide;
• and
• f. releasing the water with said material agglomerated on said metal hydroxide or on said metal hydrous oxide wherein the released water has a pH substantially equal to the pH of the water for treatment.

A method of reducing nitrate concentration in water, comprising:

• a. providing the water containing the nitrate;
• b. providing an electrically generated source of hydrogen ions;
• c. providing an electrode having a valve metal surface;
• d. providing a negative voltage to said electrode;
• and
• e. directing a flow of water containing said nitrate and said hydrogen ions to said valve metal surface for converting said nitrate to nitrogen gas.

A method of removing a nitrate ion contaminant from water, comprising:

• a. providing a first electrolytic cell, wherein said first electrolytic cell includes a first chamber, a second chamber, and a membrane there between, wherein said first chamber includes a first electrode and wherein said second chamber includes a second electrode, wherein said first electrode has a valve metal surface;
• b. providing a voltage between said first electrode and said second electrode, wherein said first electrode has a voltage that is negative with respect to said second electrode, wherein said voltage difference provides a pH difference across said membrane without addition of acidic or basic materials;
• and
• c. reacting nitrate ions in the water on said valve metal surface to reduce nitrate ion concentration, evolving nitrogen gas without agglomeration of particles in said first chamber.

A method of removing a contaminant from water, comprising:

• a. providing an electrolytic cell that includes an anode chamber, a cathode chamber, and a membrane there between, wherein said anode chamber includes an anode and wherein said cathode chamber includes a cathode;
• b. directing the water containing said contaminant into said anode chamber, wherein said water entering said anode chamber has an entering pH;
• c. directing the water from said anode chamber to said cathode chamber;
• d. d. providing a voltage between said anode and said cathode sufficient to electrically generate hydrogen ions in the water at said anode and hydroxyl ions in the water at said cathode, wherein said membrane maintains a pH difference between said anode chamber and said cathode chamber and wherein the water directed from said anode chamber includes said electrically generated hydrogen ions providing an acidic pH;
• and
• e. providing a reaction with said hydrogen ions for rendering said contaminant removable from the water wherein the water exiting said cathode chamber has an exiting pH, wherein said exiting pH is about equal to said entering pH.

A method of removing a contaminant from water, comprising:

• a. providing an electrolytic cell that includes an anode chamber, a cathode chamber, and a membrane there between, wherein said anode chamber includes an anode and wherein said cathode chamber includes a cathode;
• b. directing the water containing said contaminant into said anode chamber and directing the water from said anode chamber to said cathode chamber;
• c. providing a voltage between said anode and said cathode sufficient to electrically generate hydrogen ions in the water at said anode and hydroxyl ions in the water at said cathode, wherein said membrane maintains a pH difference between said anode chamber and said cathode chamber and wherein the water directed from said anode chamber includes said electrically generated hydrogen ions providing an acidic pH;
• d. reacting said contaminant in said acidic pH to cause said contaminant to break into fragments;
• and
• e. neutralizing said acid before said water leaves said cathode chamber.