Term: base peak
https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.B00608

Definition:
The peak in a mass spectrum corresponding to the separated ion beam which has the greatest intensity. This term may be applied to the spectra of pure substances or mixtures.

Related Terms:
1) mass spectrum (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.M03749).

Source: Orange Book, 2nd ed., p. 206 (https://media.iupac.org/publications/analytical_compendium/)

Citation: 'base peak' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.B00608

License: The IUPAC Gold Book is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike CC BY-SA 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) for individual terms.

Disclaimer: The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is continuously reviewing and, where needed, updating terms in the Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the IUPAC Gold Book). Users of these terms are encouraged to include the version of a term with its use and to check regularly for updates to term definitions that you are using.