| abstract |
An improved process for absorbing oils and especially separating and recovering oils from an aqueous medium or aqueous/wetted medium using an absorbent oleophilic biodegradable sponge material comprised of essentially fat-free, foamable natural products, specifically animal proteins or plant polysaccharides, such as gelatin, collagen, egg white albumen, gum agar, gum arabic, gum karaya, and locust bean gum, which absorb oils at a rate of at least about 30 times their weight. |