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Reference data and database search

MassBank

Find and download open reference mass spectra with compound and acquisition metadata.

Multiple analytical platformsWeb applicationFree web service
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Overview

MassBank is a community reference-spectra resource. Its European and Japanese services share records maintained in a versioned data repository. Records connect peaks with chemical identifiers and measurement conditions, supporting traceable library-based annotation.

Also known as: MassBank Europe, MassBank Japan

What can this tool do?

Spectral-library matchingProvenance tracking

Common uses

  • Inspect reference spectra and their acquisition conditions.
  • Select a reproducible library release for an annotation workflow.

Scientific fit

Primary function

Reference data and database search

Data compatibility

Inputs

Compound list or annotations, Mass spectra

Outputs

Spectral library, Mass spectra

Input formats

Web search fields and spectral queries

Output formats

MassBank record text, Versioned MassBank data archive

Scope and considerations

Designed for

  • Reference-spectrum discovery and reuse.

Not designed for

  • Archiving complete experimental studies with sample-level abundance tables.

Important requirements

  • Choose records compatible with ionization, polarity and fragmentation conditions of your experiment.

Considerations

  • Library matching depends on coverage and acquisition conditions. Save record accessions and the library release; similarity alone may not distinguish isomers.

Access and documentation

Primary accessDocumentation

Public reference records and downloadable releases are available. Preserve attribution and inspect the license recorded with the data you reuse.

Evidence and review

Editorial review on 7 September 2026 against official documentation and the sources listed here. Scope and practical guidance are editorial synthesis; software execution and service availability were not validated.

Core publications

Resource papers, direct updates and tool-specific methods. Selection policy.

  1. Neumann S, Meier R, Wenk M, et al. MassBank: an open and FAIR mass spectral data resource. Nucleic Acids Res 54, D601-D606 (2026). doi:10.1093/nar/gkaf1193

Related tools

MoNAComplementary to · Search aggregated mass spectra and download reference libraries for local annotation workflows.MS-FINDERComplementary to · Explore formula and structure candidates using fragmentation rules and EI-MS or MS/MS library searches.

Entry history

Changes to this catalogue entry, not the tool's software release history. Acceptance and editorial review are separate.

  1. 2026-09-08 · Entry update

    Audit core publications across existing tools

    View change · Entry at this revision
  2. 2026-09-07 · First committed entry

    Expand and document 31 metabolomics tools and resources

    View change · Entry at this revision

Full GitHub history