NOVELTY - An electrolytic cell (EC1) (1) comprises: urea, a cathode (4) comprising a first conducting component; an anode (3) comprising a second conducting component; an alkaline electrolyte composition (6) in electrical communication with the anode and the cathode. The alkaline electrolyte composition has a hydroxide concentration of at least 0.01 M.    USE - As an electrolytic cell for producing hydrogen and ammonia from urea and for removing a urea contaminant from a contaminated effluent (claimed).The source of urea is municipal waste water containing urine; waste streams containing urine from livestock farms, such as dairy, hog or poultry farms.    ADVANTAGE - The method produces hydrogen and ammonia from sources other than directly from fossil fuels, by using urea obtained from urine waste which is among the most abundant waste products on the earth. It also enables removing urea contaminants from contaminated effluents.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for the following    (1) a method (m1) for producing hydrogen (H2), using electrolytic cell (CE1) having urea in an amount to provide H2 at an applied voltage involving applying a voltage difference across the cathode and the anode to produce H2, and recovering at least a portion of the produced H2;    (2) a method for producing ammonia (NH3), using an electrolytic cell having urea in an amount to provide NH3 and H2 at an applied voltage, (c1), (a1) and (E1), involving applying a voltage difference across the cathode and the anode to produce NH3, and recovering at least a portion of the produced NH3; and    (3) a method for measuring a concentration of urea present in a solution using an electrolytic cell having a working electrode, a reference electrode, an alkaline electrolyte composition in electrical communication with the working electrode and a reference electrode and having a hydroxide concentration of at least 0.01 M, where a potential is applied to the working electrode and the reference electrode and the concentration of urea is proportional to the anodic peak observed in a cyclic voltammogram; and    (4) a method for removing a urea contaminant from a contaminated effluent involving passing the contaminated effluent through (EC1), applying a voltage potential between the anode and the cathode to electro-oxidize the urea in the effluent.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows a diagrammatical view of a simplified electrolytic cell.    Electrolytic cell (1)    Anode (3)    Cathode (4)    Separator (5)    electrolyte solution (6)