In this guide, you will learn the exact chemistry behind electrolysis in an ionic foot bath, the engineering rationale behind the IonCleanse by AMD dual-polarity innovation patented by Bob Moroney, and what four published studies actually measured. This guide separates the verified science from the working hypotheses, so you can make an informed decision before your first session.

What is electrolysis, in plain language?

Electrolysis is a chemical process where electrical current passes through water to break it into smaller molecules. It is the engine of every ionic foot bath. Inside the IonCleanse by AMD, a 24V DC current decomposes H2O into hydrogen gas (H2) and oxygen gas (O2) at a 2:1 ratio. According to Bassam Z. Shakhashiri research (1992, Chemical Demonstrations Vol.4 p156), this is the same foundational reaction AMD cites in its technical documentation. Glyphosate is a synthetic herbicide widely used in agriculture and measured in urine as a biomarker of exposure. Heavy metals are toxic metallic elements such as aluminum, arsenic, and lead. In this article you will discover how the IonCleanse converts this textbook chemistry into a wellness device that supports a 48% mean glyphosate reduction according to the AMD 2018 study.

You will learn how this familiar high school chemistry reaction was adapted by Bob Moroney and AMD in 2002 into a wellness device used in over 15,000 sessions worldwide. According to the AMD 2018 study (n=19 participants, Great Plains Laboratory), IonCleanse users showed a 48% mean reduction in urinary glyphosate after 14 sessions over 30 days, compared with 14% in the control group. The chemistry is straightforward. The IonCleanse engineering, patented by Bob Moroney, is what changed the game according to AMD research documentation.

The IonCleanse array is a set of two plate groups with different surface areas, 4 panels and 3 panels, immersed in tap water. According to the AMD 2002 internal pH study performed with a Technika 840037 meter, this asymmetry is the key to producing a balanced mix of positive and negative ions over a 30 minute session. According to Kennedy 2011 research published in ISRN Toxicology (n=31 participants), the IonCleanse showed peer-reviewed support for heavy metal elimination markers measured by AMD across 14 sessions.

How does water split into hydrogen and oxygen?

When current flows through water, two parallel half-reactions occur. At the anode, water is oxidized into oxygen, hydrogen ions, and electrons. At the cathode, water is reduced into hydrogen and hydroxide ions. The textbook source is Shakhashiri (1992), still cited by AMD as the foundational reference.

The two gases bubble up at a 2 to 1 volume ratio, hydrogen being twice as abundant as oxygen. AMD documents this as the chemical signature of the IonCleanse process. The visible bubbling during a session is this exact reaction, observable to anyone.

What is the role of the anode and the cathode?

The anode (the positive electrode where oxidation occurs) generates H+ ions and pushes the local water toward an acidic pH. The cathode (the negative electrode where reduction occurs) generates OH- ions and pushes the local water toward an alkaline pH. In a conventional single-polarity bath, only one direction dominates. In the IonCleanse by AMD, both directions alternate.

This matters because biological systems are sensitive to ion balance. The AMD design philosophy, established by Bob Moroney in 2002, is to avoid forcing the water into one extreme pH and to instead modulate the ratio of positive and negative ions across the 30 minute session.

Why does the IonCleanse use dual polarity?

The dual-polarity innovation is the heart of the AMD patent. Instead of running a fixed polarity for 30 minutes, the IonCleanse alternates between two configurations of its 7 plate array. This is the engineering choice that separates it from generic ionic foot baths sold on consumer marketplaces.

This IonCleanse alternation is patented, automatic, and invisible to the user. The machine handles the switching internally. According to AMD documentation and the 2002 internal research, the 70/30 default ratio (Positive mode 70%, Negative mode 30%) creates an antioxidant-rich water bath, similar in spirit to the alkaline waters studied in Japan since the 1960s.

For a deeper comparison between the IonCleanse and other ionic foot baths on the market, see our IonCleanse by AMD review and customer results.

How does the 24V DC current trigger the reaction?

Direct current at 24 volts is high enough to drive water electrolysis but low enough to keep the user safe. The current does not pass through the body. It passes between the plates of the array, immersed in the foot bath. The user’s feet share the water, but the electrical path is plate to plate.

What did the 2002 AMD pH test reveal?

In 2002, AMD ran a controlled bench test: tap water, no added salt, 15 minutes of continuous operation, alternating between Positive and Negative modes. The instrument was a Technika 840037 pH meter. The water started slightly alkaline at 7.3 and ended at 7.7, with a clear tilt toward alkalinity during Positive mode and a brief acidic dip during Negative mode.

According to AMD research published in 2002, ion quantities pushed pH toward alkaline in Positive mode (4 cathodes generating more OH-), and toward acidic in Negative mode (4 anodes generating more H+). The overall change is alkaline, an increase in antioxidant OH- ions in the water. The IonCleanse pattern parallels alkaline microwater research conducted in Japan during the 1960s.

How do OH- ions cross the skin?

Osmosis (the movement of water across a semi-permeable membrane driven by a concentration gradient) and diffusion are the two mechanisms proposed by AMD to explain how the ionic profile of the bath water interacts with the body. The reference cited by AMD is the Hyper-Physics Thermodynamics module by R. Nave, an educational physics resource maintained by Georgia State University.

The lighter the ion and the warmer the bath, the higher the diffusion rate. OH- ions are small and mobile. According to AMD research, the IonCleanse theorizes that ions cross the skin barrier by osmosis and diffusion, transporting a mildly alkaline state into the body’s local tissues, while certain endogenous acidic compounds may move in the opposite direction into the bath. This bidirectional model, referenced across 4 AMD studies, remains a working hypothesis according to Bob Moroney and AMD documentation, not a clinical claim.

What does the published science confirm so far?

Four AMD-funded studies have measured biological markers before and after IonCleanse sessions. The data suggest measurable changes in urinary and blood biomarkers in regular users.

• Glyphosate, AMD 2018 (n=19): 48% mean reduction in urinary glyphosate after 14 sessions over 30 days, against 14% in the control group. Lab: Great Plains Laboratory, full study at AMD.
• Heavy metals, Kennedy 2011 ISRN Toxicology (n=31): peer-reviewed evidence of reduced blood aluminum and arsenic. See the AMD heavy metals study summary and our heavy metals detox comparison of 7 natural methods.
• Autism ATEC, TMR 2013: documented ATEC score changes in children using the IonCleanse, published in the TMR whitepaper.
• University of Arizona preliminary study (n=12): detection of urea, creatinine, and glucose in the post-session water.

IonCleanse users report a steady set of subjective effects, including improved sleep quality, a sense of lightness, mental clarity, and faster recovery after physical effort, according to AMD client feedback collected across 15,000 sessions worldwide. To go deeper into the practical use, read our complete guide to the ionic detox foot bath. For independent reference material on heavy metal exposure, the US ATSDR research database publishes peer-reviewed toxicological profiles.

Who should avoid an ionic foot bath?

An ionic foot bath is not advised for users with a cardiac pacemaker or an implanted defibrillator, during pregnancy, for people living with epilepsy, or for organ transplant recipients on immunosuppressants. Consult a qualified health professional before any new wellness practice, particularly in case of a preexisting condition. The IonCleanse is not a medical device. It does not replace any medical advice, diagnosis, or therapy.