Scrubbing media for removing volatile organic material from paint spray booths

In an improved method for recovering volatile organic paint carrier from paint spray booths of the type comprising a chamber, a duct system for passing air down through such chamber to remove volatile organic paint carrier and over-sprayed particles, a sump containing a circulating hydrophilic liquid located at the bottom of the chamber removing volatile organic paint carrier and paint particles from the air containing them, the improvement which comprises using as the hydrophilic liquid in the sump of the spray booth an oil-in-water emulsion maintained at a pH value of from 7.5-12 which has the following composition:

• (a) 1-50% by weight of an organic liquid having a boiling point of at least 150.degree. C.;
• (b) 0.1-30% by weight of the organic liquid of a sulfonate-free oil-in-water emulsifier;
• (c) balance, water,
• said emulsion being rapidly broken into a separate oil phase and a separate aqueous phase by adjusting the pH of the emulsion to below 6.5 and recovering the volatile organic paint carrier from the oil phase reforming the emulsion by the oil phase and aqueous phase combining at a pH of 7.5-12.