A method of oxidizing organic pollutants in a solution comprises chelating a catalytic metal with cyclodextrins (CD) and/or derivatized cyclodextrins (dCD), and simultaneously complexing an organic pollutant with cyclodextrins (CD) and/or derivatized cyclodextrins (dCD). The CD or dCD is capable of removing the pollutant from sorption sites (either in solution, in soil/sediment, or on surfaces). Furthermore, the CD/dCD is also capable of competing with other metal chelators that may be present in the system. The ability of the CD/dCD to bind both the pollutant and the metal in the presence of competing binding sites is essential for the success of the technique.