Abstract: A contaminant sorptive buoyant pad is provided to preferentially absorb or adsorb contaminants from a water body surface. The pad includes a laminar core which is formed from side-by-side stacked layers of superabsorbent meltblown polypropylene microfiber fabric, and which has a density less than water. The porosity and inter-layer spacing between adjacent stacked layers is selected to facilitate contaminate absorptive and the capillary movement and wicking of hydrocarbons and other contaminants from the water surface into the pad interior.