TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRICAL POWER AND ENERGY - Preferred Component: The electrochemical cell including an anode and cathode in contact with the electrochemical system, in which the electrochemical reaction is initiated upon applying a voltage between the anode and the cathode.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Component: The carbon monoxide is in an unpurified state. It is a component within a mixture of gases. The mixture of gases further includes carbon dioxide. The mixture of gases includes syngas. The water is in the form of water vapor. The base is a solid phase base, a molten phase base, a liquid phase base, an aqueous base, and/or a metal hydroxide compound. The metal hydroxide compound is an alkali metal hydroxide compound, or an alkaline earth metal hydroxide compound. The carbonate or bicarbonate compound is formed as a solid phase compound, or in the form of a dissolved compound. The base is a metal hydroxide. Preferred Process: The carbon monoxide and the base are reacted in the presence of water. The reaction step occurs in the absence of liquid phase water, and in the presence of a catalyst. It further forms a carbonate or bicarbonate compound, which is then reacted with the metal hydroxide compound. The process includes thermally decomposing the carbonate or bicarbonate solid phase compound. The reaction step further forms carbon dioxide. The reaction step includes an electrochemical reaction occurring in an electrochemical cell into which the carbon monoxide. The base and an electrolyte are placed to form an electrochemical reaction system. The carbon monoxide is dissolved in the electrolyte.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Component: The carbon monoxide is in an unpurified state. It is a component within a mixture of gases. The mixture of gases further includes carbon dioxide. The mixture of gases includes syngas. The water is in the form of water vapor. The base is a solid phase base, a molten phase base, a liquid phase base, an aqueous base, and/or a metal hydroxide compound. The metal hydroxide compound is an alkali metal hydroxide compound, or an alkaline earth metal hydroxide compound. The carbonate or bicarbonate compound is formed as a solid phase compound, or in the form of a dissolved compound. The base is a metal hydroxide. Preferred Process: The carbon monoxide and the base are reacted in the presence of water. The reaction step occurs in the absence of liquid phase water, and in the presence of a catalyst. It further forms a carbonate or bicarbonate compound, which is then reacted with the metal hydroxide compound. The process includes thermally decomposing the carbonate or bicarbonate solid phase compound. The reaction step further forms carbon dioxide. The reaction step includes an electrochemical reaction occurring in an electrochemical cell into which the carbon monoxide. The base and an electrolyte are placed to form an electrochemical reaction system. The carbon monoxide is dissolved in the electrolyte. EXAMPLE - Sodium hydroxide (7 g) was placed into a stainless steel reaction vessel having a total volume of approximately 40 mL. The reaction vessel was evacuated, flushed multiple times with carbon monoxide (CO) to eliminate air from the reaction environment, and filled with CO to a pressure of 60 psi. The vessel was then sealed. The temperature of the vessel was raised to 160degreesC and held at that temperature for 8 hours. The vessel was then cooled to room temperature, allowed to stand for 34 hours, subsequently heated to 220degreesC for 8 hours and cooled once again to room temperature to conclude the experiment. Samples of the gas phase were periodically extracted from the reaction vessel at various stages during the reaction and were analyzed using gas chromatography to determine the relative presence of oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen in the gas phase. The gas chromatograph was not configured to detect CO. After the reaction vessel had been flushed and filled with CO, and before the initial heating step, a sample of the gas phase was extracted for gas chromatographic analysis to determine the non-CO composition. The gas chromatography analysis showed the presence of residual amounts of oxygen and nitrogen (in a 17%:83% ratio) and no detectable amount of hydrogen. The pressure of the reaction vessel was monitored as a function of time during the experiment and the results are shown as curves 100 and 150 in figure 1. The experiment demonstrated the production of hydrogen from a reaction of CO and a base.