(32ck) Blockchain Technology for Secure and Transparent Data Sharing in Building a Robust Ssbd Toolbox for Industrial Applications

The SSbD framework is a revolutionary approach to chemical and material innovation (European Commission, 2019). This framework prioritizes the development of products that are not only functional but also harmless to human health and safe for the environment. With the integration of safety and sustainability considerations into the very early stages of product design, SSbD aims to prevent potential risks and minimize negative impacts throughout the product's lifecycle. This proactive approach contrasts with traditional methods that often address safety and sustainability concerns after a product has already been developed, leading to costly and time-consuming modifications. The core principles of the SSbD involve identifying potential hazards and risks early on, designing products to mitigate these risks, and continuously assessing their safety and sustainability throughout their lifecycle. The adoption of such methodologies by industries can facilitate both early and late innovation that is both responsible and beneficial to society. SSbD is not merely a regulatory requirement but a strategic opportunity to create a more sustainable future (Caldeira et al., 2022a; Caldeira et al., 2022b; Caldeira et al., 2023). In line with the EU Green Deal and Chemical Strategy for Sustainability (CSS), we are developing the PARC SSbD toolbox to conduct robust and reliable Safe-by-Design and Sustainable-by-Design assessments of chemicals and materials.

Rapid digitization of industrial processes has led to an exponential growth in data generation. However, sharing sensitive industrial data across diverse organizations remains a significant challenge due to privacy, security, and regulatory concerns. With the present work, a novel blockchain-based framework to facilitate secure and transparent data sharing among industrial and academia stakeholders is proposed. It employs the blockchain inherent features of immutability, transparency, and decentralization to ensure data integrity, confidentiality, and provenance. The employment of smart contracts can automate sensitive data access control and enforce data usage policies. Additionally, the integration of zero-knowledge proof techniques to enable selective disclosure of data, thereby preserving privacy is explored in detail. The paper will delve into the technical implementation details, including the choice of consensus mechanism, cryptographic algorithms, and data privacy techniques.

The core components of a blockchain are defined as follows: blocks, chains, and nodes. Each block will contain a set of transactions, a timestamp, and a cryptographic hash of the previous block data. This creates an immutable chain of blocks, ensuring data integrity and transparency. Python's versatility and readability make it an ideal choice for implementing this architecture. Libraries such as blockchain and pycryptodome provide robust tools for cryptographic operations, hash functions, and digital signatures. These libraries streamline the process of introducing and verifying blocks, as well as managing the distributed ledger. A significant aspect of the present blockchain technology is the consensus mechanism, which determines how nodes agree on the validity of data-transactions and the order of blocks. For vigorous industrial applications, a robust and efficient consensus mechanism is essential to maintain data integrity and security. Proof-of-Work (PoW) and Proof-of-Stake (PoS) are two popular consensus mechanisms. While PoW is well-suited for public blockchains, PoS can be more efficient for private, permissioned blockchains common in industrial settings. With the careful selection and customization of a consensus algorithm, the PoS in the present work, we optimized the blockchain for IoT data sharing and transparency. Robust cryptographic techniques and smart contracts are indispensable to ensure the secure sharing of data within an industrial blockchain. Cryptography safeguards the confidentiality and integrity of data, while smart contracts automate the execution of agreements and enforce business rules. Python's integration with cryptographic libraries enables the implementation of encryption algorithms such as AES and RSA to protect sensitive data.

Blockchain technology offers a unique alignment with the FAIR principles, which promote data findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability (Karakoltzidis et al., 2024). Blockchain inherent immutability ensures that data once recorded cannot be altered, thereby guaranteeing its findability and accessibility over time. Furthermore, the decentralized nature of blockchain networks facilitates interoperability, as data stored on one blockchain can be accessed and utilized by other compatible blockchains. This interoperability enables data to be reused for numerous purposes, promoting innovation and collaboration across different domains. Additionally, such technologies can enhance data provenance and traceability, ensuring that data are associated with their origin and have not been tampered with. Transparency and accountability contribute to the trustworthiness and reliability of data, thereby increasing its reusability. Last but not least, with the blockchain secure and transparent infrastructure, industrial organizations can ensure that their data adhere to FAIR principles and thus maximize its value.

Caldeira, C., Farcal, R., Garmendia Aguirre, I., Mancini, L., Tosches, D., Amelio, A., Rasmussen, K., Rauscher, H., Riego Sintes, J., & Sala, S. (2022a). Safe and sustainable by design chemicals and materials - Framework for the definition of criteria and evaluation procedure for chemicals and materials. Publications Office of the European Union. https://doi.org/10.2760/404991, JRC128591

Caldeira, C., Farcal, R., Moretti, C., Mancini, L., Rauscher, H., Rasmussen, K., Riego Sintes, J., & Sala, S. (2022b). Safe and Sustainable by Design chemicals and materials Review of safety and sustainability dimensions, aspects, methods, indicators, and tools. Publications Office of the European Union.

Caldeira, C., Garmendia Aguirre, I., Tosches, D., Mancini, L., Abbate, E., Farcal, R., Lipsa, D., Rasmussen, K., Rauscher, H., Riego Sintes, J., & Sala, S. (2023). Safe and Sustainable by Design chemicals and materials-Application of the SSbD framework to case studies. https://doi.org/10.2760/329423 (online)

European Commission. (2019). COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS The European Green Deal. (Document 52019DC0640). Brussels Retrieved from https://eur-lex.europa.eu/resource.html?uri=cellar:b828d165-1c22-11ea-8c1f-01aa75ed71a1.0002.02/DOC_1&format=PDF

Karakoltzidis, A., Battistelli, C., Bossa, C., Bouman, E. A., Garmendia Aguirre, I., Iavicoli, I., Zare Jeddi, M., Karakitsios, S., Leso, V., Løfstedt, M., Magagna, B., Sarigiannis, D., Schultes, E., Soeteman-Hernandez, L. G., Subramanian, V., & Nymark, P. (2024). The FAIR Principles as a Key Enabler to Operationalize Safe and Sustainable by Design Approaches [10.1039/D4SU00171K]. RSC Sustainability. https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SU00171K