Electrochemical sensors are increasingly used in portable single-use clinical, process and environmental quality monitoring systems. Commercially viable and scientifically reliable analyses require sensors that are easy to use and low cost, require limited maintenance, possess high selectivity and sensitivity towards the analyte, and have potential to be mass-produced. Thus, the current research focuses on sensors development to address all of the above mentioned requirements. On the other hand, owing to the increasing number of sensor applications, the spent sensors are identified as an emerging type of waste. The materials used for manufacturing of sensors are in most cases derived from fossil, often scarce sources, e.g. transition metals and carbon. Moreover, these materials are expensive and bear high carbon footprint.

In this work, we explore the use of waste-derived carbon material, such as CNTs, in order to decrease the environmental burden associated with the application of fossil derived carbon. The CNTs were produced from residues, e.g. waste plastics, which are abundant, inexpensive, and bear low or negative carbon footprint. This paper identifies the waste-derived CNTs as an environment-friendly alternative for use in sensors as they exhibited comparable performance to commercial carbon nanotubes and metal-based electrodes. The proposed alternative material provides valuable insights to the research and development of environmentally friendly alternatives for the sensor design and application.