The Total Dehydrator was Commodore Schmidlapp's invention, used by the United Underworld in their plot to take over the world. It dehydrates people by extracting the molecules from their bodies and fills its tank with light water.
History[]
Commodore Schmidlapp was bringing his Total Dehydrator to Gotham City via yacht, when his yacht was hijacked by the United Underworld, who kidnapped Schmidlapp and placed his invention in the storeroom at their hideout.
In an attempt to do away with Batman and Robin, Penguin, Riddler and Catwoman used the Total Dehydrator on the five Guinea Pig pirates, reducing them to dust. After tricking the Dynamic Duo into taking him to the Batcave under the guise of Schmidlapp, Penguin rehydrated the five pirates to fight the Caped Crusaders, not realizing he used the heavy water that was used to recharge the Atomic Pile which left the pirates in a highly unstable condition, and when they're touched by Batman, Robin or Penguin, or each other, they disappear into thin air.
At the United World Building, Joker, Riddler, Penguin and Catwoman used the Total Dehydrator to dehydrate the United World's security council members. After collecting the dehydrated members' dusts, the villains make their escape to their submarine. After Batman and Robin brought the Penguin's submarine to the surface and defeated the villains, Schmidlapp accidentally smashes the vials containing the dehydrated members and sneezes some of the dusts everywhere. Later, Batman and Robin separated the dusts and rehydrated the members, and Schmidlapp was released from captivity and delivered his invention.