Patent ID: 8129194

Claim:
A method of simultaneous anion suppression and cation suppression, using a continuous electrolytic ion exchange device, comprising: (a) flowing a basic solution containing an anion sample of interest through a homogeneous cation depletion chamber of said continuous electrolytic ion exchange device to suppress said basic solution by way of cation exchange occurring on cation exchange material in said homogeneous cation depletion chamber, wherein said cations are transferred from said homogeneous cation depletion chamber to a heterogeneous anion and cation concentration chamber of said continuous electrolytic ion exchange device; and (b) simultaneously flowing an acidic solution containing a cation sample of interest through a homogeneous anion deletion chamber of said continuous electrolytic ion exchange device to suppress said acid solution by way of anion exchange occurring on anion exchange material in said homogeneous anion depletion chamber, wherein said anions are transferred from said homogeneous anion depletion chamber to said heterogeneous anion and cation concentration chamber of said continuous electrolytic ion exchange device; and wherein said continuous electrolytic ion exchange device includes an anode chamber comprising an anode therein, a first cation membrane contiguous with said anode chamber, said homogeneous cation depletion chamber contiguous with said first cation membrane where said homogeneous cation depletion chamber includes said cation exchange materials therein, a second cation membrane contiguous with said cation depletion chamber, said central concentration chamber contiguous with said second cation membrane, said central concentration chamber including therein anion or cation or a mixture of anion and cation exchange materials, a first anion membrane contiguous with said central concentrate chamber, said anion depletion chamber contiguous to said first anion membrane, the anion depletion chamber including said anion exchange materials, a second anion membrane contiguous with said anion depletion chamber, and a cathode chamber comprising a cathode therein which is contiguous with said second anion membrane, and wherein a voltage is applied to achieve ion movements within said continuous electrolytic ion exchange device.