In 2000, 133 billion dollars worldwide was spent on chiral drug development. An inexpensive method for the separation of enantiomers was investigated. After placing two smectite clays, S-Az-1 and S-HCa-1, under an intense pretreatment process that included the removal of carbonates and metals, they were exchanged with the amino acids D- and L-cysteine, in order to produce cysteine-modified clays. Hydrolic properties were imparted to the modified clays by encapsulation in silica; this allowed for the clay to be used as column packing material for the separation of enantiomers of carnitine. Most enantiomers have different physiological properties. L-carnitine is required for fatty acid degradation while D-carnitine is ineffective. The successful separation of D- and L-carnitine by the modified clay was monitored by polarimetry.