[neb52]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9mntfkBbTY

[DGHoodini]

Here’s a related article:

http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/articles/article/3007/

[BlueMondaySkipper]

Here is the inventor:

[waterhill]

I build fuel systems for industry. We use a “mat” made by 3M that soaks up hydrocarbons ( diesel, gasoline ) yet won’t soak up water. We call them diapers, among other names.... They are meant for small spills mostly. Microbial bacteria handle the BIG spills. My .02.