Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of fatty acids, finely dispersed in water, as detackifying agents in the industrial elimination of dispersed solids, in particular of paint particles dispersed in recirculating water in the context of wet scrubbing of paint overspray in paint booths, from an aqueous carrier medium that represents, in particular, recirculating water of a paint booth with wet scrubbing. The fatty-acid-based detackifying agent can be used in a manner entirely free of corrosive anions, so that energy recovery from the paint coagulate that is removed from the recirculating water can be operated cost-effectively.