Patent ID: 6890409

Claim:
An analytical device comprising an electrochemical cell and a sample containment device, said electrochemical cell comprising: an anodic reservoir adapted to receive an electrolyte; a cathodic reservoir adapted to receive an electrolyte; a connection between said anodic reservoir and said cathodic reservoir for permitting communication of electrolyte from at least one of said reservoirs to the other of said reservoirs; a first bubble-free electrode having been precharged as a cathode to have hydrogen absorbed therein, and the bubble-free electrode being disposed within one of said anodic reservoir and said cathodic reservoir; a second electrode disposed within the other of said anodic reservoir and said cathodic reservoir; a power source having a positive terminal in electrical contact with said first electrode, and a negative terminal in electrical contact with said second electrode, said electrochemical cell operating in an electrolytic mode and generating an electrical field when said power source is turned on; and a power source polarity inverting device for switching the contacts between the terminals of said power source and said first and second electrodes such that said negative terminal is in electrical contact with said first electrode and said positive terminal is in electrical contact with said second electrode; and said sample containment device comprising a sample containment chamber, said sample containment chamber including an opening for introducing a sample into said chamber and being positioned with respect to said electrochemical cell such that an electrical field generated by said electrochemical cell can influence at least one property of at least one component of a sample disposed in said sample containment chamber; wherein at least one of said first and second electrodes comprises a nickel hydroxide material.