TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - BIOLOGY - Preferred Components: The reducing agent, polyphenol, caffeine, and/or a natural solvent or surfactant is selected from tea extract, green tea extract, coffee extract and/or lemon balm extract. The plant extract is obtained from a waste product (preferably obtained from a waste product selected from fruit juice pulp, fruit juice manufacturing wastewater, fruit juice manufacturing waste, food processing waste, food processing byproduct, wine manufacturing waste, beer manufacturing waste, and forest product processing waste). The plant extract is from tea, coffee, parsley, sorghum, marjoram, and/or lemon balm. The reducing agent is selected from a phenolic plant extract, a plant extract-based surfactant and/or a plant oil based surfactant. The plant extract is concentrated to produce a concentrated plant extract. The plant extract is concentrated using reverse osmosis, a supercritical carbon dioxide process, and/or filter presses. The reducing agent is extracted using a plant-based solvent (preferably d-limonene and/or a citrus terpene).    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred nanoparticle: The metal nanoparticle is a zero valent metal nanoparticle. The nanoparticle further comprises a hydrophobic coating on the surface of the nanoparticles. The metal nanoparticles have a mean diameter of 5-500 (preferably 10-250, especially 50-100) nm. 90% of the metal nanoparticles have a diameter of 5-100 nm. The metal nanoparticles are substantially non-aggregated. The metal nanoparticles comprise zero valent metal and a component of the plant extract. The metal nanoparticles comprise at least two different metals (preferably iron and palladium). The metal nanoparticle is selected from nano-scale zero valent iron (nZVI) and/or nano-scale zero valent manganese (nZVMn). The metal nanoparticles are coated with a phenolic compound of the plant extract. Preferred Method: The method (M1) is conducted at room temperature. The method (M1) further involves providing a second solution of a metal ion, and combining the first metal ion solution, the second metal ion solution and the plant extract to produce metal nanoparticles comprising first and second metals; concentrating the metal nanoparticles using a method selected from centrifugation, filtration, magnetic separation, electroosmosis, and electrokinetic migration; providing an aqueous solution of carboxy methyl cellulose, and combining the aqueous solution of carboxy methyl cellulose with the metal ion and the plant extract to form metal nanoparticles coated with carboxy methyl cellulose; and heating the mixture of carboxy methyl cellulose, metal ion, and plant extract to 100 degrees C. Heating the mixture involves exposing the mixture to microwaves. The metal ion solutions are combined simultaneously with the plant extract; or the first and second metals are interspersed throughout the metal nanoparticles. The first metal solution is combined with the plant extract before the second metal solution is added. Providing a plant extract involves combining a plant or plant portion with the metal ion in a vessel. The combining a plant or plant portion with the metal ion in a vessel causes a reducing agent, polyphenol, or caffeine to be released into the vessel to produce metal nanoparticles. The metal ion is provided in a medium to be treated by adding a chelating agent to a soil and/or water sample to be treated. The metal nanoparticles are coated with a substance derived from the plant extract. The method of combining a metal nanoparticle with the medium involves introducing a metal nanoparticle into the medium; introducing a reducing agent, a polyphenol, caffeine, and/or a natural solvent or surfactant into the medium; and allowing the reducing agent, polyphenol, caffeine, and/or a natural solvent or surfactant to react with the dissolved metal ions in the medium to form metal nanoparticles; and further involves administering a chelating agent to the medium. The method for reducing the concentration of a contaminant in a medium further involves introducing a natural solvent or surfactant into the medium; and introducing an oxidant into the medium. The metal nanoparticle and the natural solvent and/or surfactant are introduced into the medium by injection into a subsurface. Preferred Composition: The composition further comprises a natural solvent or surfactant; a chelating agent; oxidant; and a carboxy methyl cellulose coating on the surface of the metal nanoparticles. Preferred Components: The amount of plant extract is sufficient to convert the entire metal ion into metal nanoparticles. The metal ion concentration is at least 0.01 mM (preferably at least 0.1 mM, especially at least 300 mM). The first metal is iron and the second metal is palladium; or the first metal is palladium and the second metal is iron. The metal ion is selected from an iron ion and a manganese ion. The solution comprises ferric chloride (FeCl3), ferrous sulfate (FeSO4) and/or ferric nitrate (Fe(NO3)3); manganese chloride (MnCl2) and/or manganese sulfate (MnSO4); silver nitrate (AgNO3); palladium chloride (PdCl2); a metal chelate; and Fe(III)-EDTA (ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid), Fe(III)-citric acid, Fe(III)-EDDS (ethylenediaminedissuccinate), Fe(II)-EDTA, Fe(II)-citric acid, and/or Fe(II)-EDDS. The metal ion is present in a medium to be treated. The oxidant is selected from peroxide, calcium peroxide, hydrogen peroxide, air, oxygen, ozone, persulfate, sodium persulfate, percarbonate, and/or permanganate.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The natural solvent or surfactant is selected from VeruSOL-3 (RTM: mixture of d-limenone and plant-based surfactants), Citrus Burst 1 (CB-1), Citrus Burst 2 (CB-2), Citrus Burst 3 (CB-3) and/or EZ-Mulse. The reducing agent, polyphenol, caffeine, and/or a natural solvent or surfactant is selected from polyphenolic flavonoid, flavonoid, flavonol, flavone, flavanone, isoflavone, flavans, flavanol, anthocyanins, proanthocyanins, carotenoids, catechins, quercetin, and/or rutin. The reducing agent is preferably selected from a polyphenol, a phenolic compound and/or a flavonoid. The chelating agent is selected from EDTA, EDDS and/or citric acid.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Components: The plant derivative comprises carboxy methyl cellulose, or a plant extract. EXAMPLE - Green tea extract (20 g/l) was prepared by adding green tea (20 g) to deionized water (1 l) and bring to 80 degrees C. Ferric chloride (FeCl3) (0.1 M) was prepared by dissolving solid FeCl3 (16.2 g) in deionized water (1 l). Palladium chloride solution in deionized water was prepared. Green tea synthesized nano-scale zero valent iron (GT-nZVI) was prepared by adding FeCl3 (0.1 M) to the filtered green tea (20 g/l) in a 2:1 volume ratio, resulting in a 66 mM Fe (iron) concentration in the final GT-nZVI solution. PdCl2 solution was added to GT-nZVI solution within 30-60 seconds after FeCl3 was added to the green tea.