poly homopolymers and copolymers are hydrophobically modified by reaction of amine units present in the polymer with a saturated aliphatic or aromatic glycidyl ether compound . the resulting polymers are useful as flocculants in separating water from suspended solids and are especially effective in improving fines retention in papermaking . poly modified in this manner with butyl glycidyl ether is shown to be very efficient in retaining the paper product fines present in recycle paper pulps .