Toward sustainable strips: a review of materials and environmental considerations for future health monitoring;
: Seo, Ju-Yeon; Vinni, Valtteri; Hosseinian, Aida; Kumbam, Lingeshwar Reddy; Johansson, Annika; Sokka, Laura; Peltola, Emilia
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
: 2026
RSC Sustainability
: 2753-8125
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/d6su00187d
: https://doi.org/10.1039/d6su00187d
: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/527005449
With an average of three tests per day, an estimated 591 billion glucose test strips are used globally each year. The rising prevalence of chronic diseases and the growth of self-measurement, quantified self, and biohacking movements are driving increased demand for electrochemical strips, underscoring the need for sustainable manufacturing and disposal strategies. This paper focuses on the working electrode while also addressing the reference electrode, strip production, and recyclability considerations. Novel working electrode materials, including carbon nanomaterials, MXenes, and green-synthesized metal nanoparticles, show promise for enhancing sensor sensitivity and selectivity while potentially lowering resource demand. However, their sustainability profile remains uncertain, as the energy- and chemical-intensive synthesis of nanomaterials may offset the benefits. Life cycle assessment (LCA) frameworks and the concept of a nanocircular economy are discussed as tools for evaluating and guiding sustainable design. At the same time, artificial intelligence opens new possibilities for sustainability by enabling the analysis of vast datasets to uncover hidden correlations between synthesis parameters and nanomaterial properties. These insights can guide more sustainable synthesis routes and support the design of novel nanomaterials and nanocomposites with tailored functionalities. By integrating material innovation with environmental considerations, the future of health monitoring strips can move toward minimizing waste, reducing dependency on critical resources, and aligning with global sustainability goals.
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This project has received funding from the European Union
NextGenerationEU instrument and is funded by the Research
Council of Finland under grant number #352891 and #352892,
project #CLISHEAT. The work is supported by the Research
Council of Finland grant SUSMAT, and is conducted under the
#SUSMAT umbrella. Cecilia Johansson is acknowledged for
assisting with data collection for literature review