An aqueous monomer solution, also containing a crosslinker (methylenebisacrylamide) and an initiator (ammonium persulfate), was introduced dropwise with a syringe into a vertical glass column containing hot paraffin oil. The partial gelation of the droplets, which took place during their sedimentation (about 7-9 s), allowed them to maintain their spherical shape and not coalesce during their polymerization (for 2 h at about 50 degrees C) at the bottom of the column. A narrow size distribution of beads was achieved for droplets between 1 and 2.5 mm in size. Six hydrophilic monomers (acrylamide, acrylic acid, 2-acrylamino-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid, 2-hydroxyethyl-methacrylate, 2-vinyl-1-pyrrolidone and sodium styrenic sulfate) were used to illustrate the new methodology.