The potential utility of glycerol as an osmotic agent for peritoneal dialysis was evaluated by conducting both isosmotic and hyperosmotic exchanges in anesthetized rats. Similar exchanges were conducted using glucose, and the results with the two agents were compared. During hyperosmotic exchanges both agents produced significant osmotic flow of water, but at initial molar concentrations that were equal the flow observed with glycerol was nearly 40% less than that observed with glucose. The lower volume transport generated by glycerol was found to be due to its surprisingly rapid removal from peritoneal fluid when it was present at hyperosmotic concentrations, but paradoxically during isosmotic exchanges, when its concentration was low, glycerol was absorbed only slightly faster than glucose. The observed increase in peritoneal permeability when glycerol was used resulted in a twofold increase in the caloric load imposed per unit of water removed in comparison with glucose.