A method and composition for the remediation of environmental contaminants in soil, sediment, aquifer material or water wherein contaminants are first reduced with a reducing agent found in sediment and are then oxidized to environmentally safe products. The composition includes a reducing agent, solubilized from sediment by a solvent, for reduction of environmental contaminants such as nitroorganics, halogenated hydrocarbons, cyano compounds, anisoles and metals.