Development of nanoparticles (Nanoscience and Nanotechnology) has emerged as a cutting edge science with its wide applications. Nanotechnology may also have great potential in agricultural and environmental sciences. Heavy metal contamination of soils poses a major environmental threat.Due to smaller size and high surface area for adsorption, nanoparticles may enhance restriction of the movement of heavy metals in contaminated soil and/or increase the adsorption of heavy metals. We tested this hypothesis in controlled environment facilities. The objectives of this research were (a) to investigate the potential use of metal oxide nanoparticles in remediation and/or restricting the movement of heavy metals; and (b) to determine the mobility of heavy metals in soils treated with nanoparticles. Water soluble nanoparticles – magnesium oxide (NanoActive® MgO Plus, NanoScale Corporation, Manhattan, Kansas, USA) were used in this preliminary study. A fine sandy soil was mixed with sludge contaminated with heavy metals and filled in long cylindrical columns (76-cm long; 17-cm diameter). There were four treatments (contaminated soil used as control; contaminated soil with plants (grain sorghum); contaminated soil with nanoparticles; and contaminated soil with nanoparticles and plants) with three replications. The columns were irrigated daily and drained water (leachate) was collected and measured every morning from sowing until 40 days after sowing (DAS). At final harvest (45 DAS), dry weights of component parts (leaf, stem and roots) were measured and were analyzed for heavy metals (lead, cadmium, nickel and copper). The results showed that the heavy metal concentrations (lead, nickel and cadmium) in columns treated with nanoparticles and plants was lower than all other treatment. This suggests that the nanoparticles were effective in restricting the movement of heavy metals in the soil. Further research is needed to better understand the mechanism(s) involved in at the soil-root interface which help phytostabilization.