IoT and Cloud Computing: Issues, Challenges, and Opportunities in Water Trace Element Monitoring

The integration of Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud computing technologies has transformed trace element monitoring in domains such as environmental science, agriculture, water quality, and healthcare. These systems enable real-time sensing, remote access, and scalable analytics, yet face challenges in data accuracy, latency, energy efficiency, interoperability, and cybersecurity. A systematic review (2015–2025) across Google Scholar, SCOPUS, and Web of Science identified 4,575 records, from which 56 studies met the inclusion criteria. AWS was the dominant cloud platform (26.6%), followed by Microsoft Azure (18.18%), while MQTT was the most common data upload method (37.5%). DynamoDB led storage solutions (30.7%), with low latency and real-time processing each prioritized in 34.29% of studies. Data protection mechanisms were most prevalent (38.64%), and embedded IoT devices accounted for 57.29% of microcontroller integrations. These findings highlight the sector’s strong emphasis on performance, security, and embedded intelligence. Advancing these technologies supports SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation by enabling reliable, continuous environmental monitoring for improved public health outcomes.