Electrodialytic oxydation-reduction of metals

The process which uses an electrodialytic cell having anolyte and catholyte compartments separated by a cation permeable membrane comprising the steps of:

• a) supplying an acidic anolyte to the anolyte compartment;
• b) supplying an alkaline catholyte to the catholyte compartment;
• c) connecting the anode and cathode of the anolyte and catholyte compartments to a current source to produce hydrogen ions at the anode and hydroxide ions at the cathode;
• d) adding a soluble anion of an acid to be removed to the catholyte compartment;
• e. supplying electrical current in such an amount to electrolyze the water in the solution at the anode to form hydrogen ions which are electrotransported through said cation permeable membrane and into the catholyte compartment resulting in formation of an acidic zone in the catholyte compartment immediately adjacent the membrane and an alkaline zone adjacent the cathode;
• f) feeding a chemical reactant to the catholyte compartment which will chemically react with said soluble anion of the acid in one of the zones in the catholyte compartment to form gaseous or solid reaction products;
• and
• g) removing said reaction products.