Materials can be said to fall into two broad categories - hydrophyllic (they like to get wet with water) and oleophilic (they like to get wet with oil). To clean an oil spill you need a material that likes to get wet with oil, doesn't like to get wet with water and floats in either material. Hay, cellulose, some plastics and many other materials meet these criteria.
Part of the trouble with these materials is that they can start out as good oil absorbers but pick up a lot of crud with the oil that makes it sink. In addition the material has to be put into the oily re in a form that allows easily removable when it reaches its capacity.
Hay or kitty litter would probably work.
It's an interesting idea. It looked good on a small scale. It would have to be shown to be better than the skimmers they are currently working. I'm not sure that oil soaked hay is that easy to pick up in open waters.
no
Sodium chloride is hygroscopic, absorb water.
With talcum powder
Yes, it does absorb oil but not as well as a sponge or hair. If you need to absorb oil with cotton balls you will need to get lots and lots of them.
The bacteria die and absorb the oil.
Yes
I think it can
Yes
Emulsifier
Emulsifier