egendomsläten

egendomsläten are a class of molecular markers used in the study of biogenic carbon assimilation pathways. The term is a German neologism, derived from „egen“ (self), „dom“ (domestication) and „Läten“ (literal translation ‘plates’), and was first introduced in a 2012 review by Schmidt and colleagues in the Journal of Organic Geochemistry. The concept refers specifically to a set of characteristic isotope-enriched carbon platelets that form in the carbon lattice of certain organic macromolecules during late-stage polymerization. By measuring the stable‑carbon and hydrogen isotope signatures within these plates, researchers can reconstruct the environmental conditions under which the bodies of elemental carbon were synthesized, thereby refining models of ancient biospheric processes.

Theoretical work suggests that egendomsläten form through a thermally driven rearrangement of carbon–hydrogen bonds, creating a sub‑nanometer lattice that preferentially incorporates heavier isotopes. Laboratory experiments have demonstrated that their abundance correlates with temperature and pH during polymer growth. In practice, the analysis of egendomsläten typically involves laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry and high‑resolution secondary ion mass spectrometry to quantify isotope ratios with sub‑percent uncertainty.

Because of their sensitivity to synthesis conditions, egendomsläten are increasingly applied in palaeoenvironmental reconstructions, provenance studies of fossil fuels, and the monitoring of engineered carbon materials. Ongoing research aims to refine the mechanistic understanding of platelet formation and extend the technique to a broader range of organic and inorganic matrices.