G-DaM: A Distributed Data Storage with Blockchain Framework for Management of Groundwater Quality Data

Sensors (Basel). 2022 Nov 11;22(22):8725. doi: 10.3390/s22228725.

Abstract

Groundwater overuse in different domains will eventually lead to global freshwater scarcity. To meet the anticipated demands, many governments worldwide are employing innovative and traditional techniques for forecasting groundwater availability by conducting research and studies. One challenging step for this type of study is collecting groundwater data from different sites and securely sending it to the nearby edges without exposure to hacking and data tampering. In the current paper, we send raw data formats from the Internet of Things to the Distributed Data Storage (DDS) and Blockchain (BC) edges. We use a distributed and decentralized architecture to store the statistics, perform double hashing, and implement access control through smart contracts. This work demonstrates a modern and innovative approach combining DDS and BC technologies to overcome traditional data sharing, and centralized storage, while addressing blockchain limitations. We have shown performance improvements with increased data quality and integrity.

Keywords: Blockchain (BC); Distributed Data Storage (DDS); Internet of Agricultural Things (IoAT); edge system; groundwater quality data management; smart agriculture.

MeSH terms

  • Blockchain*
  • Computer Security
  • Data Accuracy
  • Groundwater*
  • Information Storage and Retrieval

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.