HEAVY METAL POLLUTION IN MUNICIPAL AND INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER IS A GROWING ENVIRONMENTAL RISK PARTICULARLY FOR AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SYSTEMS. CURRENT NANOABSORBENTS SUFFER FROM LOW SELECTIVITY AND LOW ABSORPTION CAPACITY WHEN USED TO TREAT AGRICULTURAL WASTE IN WATER TREATMENT AND PURIFICATION APPLICATIONS. WE PROPOSE TO RESEARCH AND DEVELOP NOVEL MULTIFUNCTIONAL MAGNETIC ABSORBENTS FEATURING FEW-LAYER-GRAPHENE SHELLED IRON NANOPARTICLES EMBEDDED IN A BIO-BASED CARBON FRAME-WORK. THESE HIGH SURFACE AREA MATERIALS WILL UTILIZE AGRICULTURAL WASTES AND BYPRODUCTS AS FEEDSTOCKS. A SEMI-PERMEABLE FEW-LAYER-GRAPHENE SHELL NOT ONLY PREVENTS THE CORE IRON NANOPARTICLES FROM AGGLOMERATION AND RAPID PASSIVATION WHEN EXPOSED TO AN AQUEOUS ENVIRONMENT, BUT ALSO PROVIDES ENHANCED ABSORPTION PERFORMANCE VIA MULTIPLE ABSORPTION MECHANISMS, NAMELY, ION EXCHANGE THROUGH IRON CORE AND PHYSICAL ADSORPTION ON THE GRAPHENE SHELL. THIS NEW MAGNETIC ABSORBENT CAN EFFECTIVELY REMOVE HEAVY METALS, TOXIC METALLOIDS, ORGANIC POLLUTANTS AND INSECTICIDES FROM CONTAMINATED WATER IN AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD SYSTEMS. IT ALSO HAS GREAT POTENTIAL IN POLLUTED SOIL CLEANING. AFTER REMEDIATION, THE USED ABSORBENT CAN BE EASILY RECOVERED BY A MAGNET. THIS PROJECT SHOWCASES A NOVEL USE OF NANOTECHNOLOGY UTILIZING FOREST AND AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES TO INCREASE PROTECTION OF NATURAL RESOURCES, THE ENVIRONMENT, AND AGRICULTURAL ECOSYSTEMS. MOREOVER, INCREASING ECONOMIC VALUE OF WASTE BIOMASS FROM THE AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM WILL BE WELCOME NEWS FOR MANY US FARMS, WHILE IMPROVEMENTS IN DRINKING AND AGRICULTURAL WATER SAFETY IN THE US WILL BE GOOD NEWS FOR THE WHOLE OF SOCIETY.