Why does salt kill slugs?

timnross

Osmosis. Salt draws the moisture from inside the slugs body though the outer membrane.The slug dies from dehydration. Jan 07 13, 8:19 AM

crotalus77

From site: This is due to osmosis. The skin of the slug acts as a semi-permeable membrane where there are different concentrations of salt and water on each side. Remember that water will move from an area where there is more water to an area where there is less water. The salt that you sprinkle on the slug mixes with water in the slime on the outside of the slug to make a salty solution. In any solution there is only so much room, so if there is a lot of salt, there is not a lot of water. There is more water, less salt on the inside of the slug, so water leaves the slug to mix with the salt outside the slug in order to equalize (or "more equalize") the water on both sides of the membrane. There is a net loss of water from the slug and it dehydrates to death. Van Hoeck http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/gen06/gen06261.htm Jan 07 13, 9:09 AM