Molecular dynamics simulations have been carried out to examine the effect of confinement on the solubility and hydration of electrolytes in aqueous solutions. Our results show a significant effect, with the solubility of NaCl dropping by almost a factor of two when confined in an 8 angstrom slit. With the expected advances in nanotechnology, these changes could have a significant impact on the design of nano devices, such as nano-reactors. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.