ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Lab Chip Technol.
Sec. Environmental Sensors, Sustainability and Reaching Net-Zero
This article is part of the Research TopicTowards an Eco-Friendly Future for Microfluidics, Lab on a Chip and Point-of Care DevicesView all 5 articles
Towards Sustainable Diagnostics: Assessing Biodegradable Lateral Flow Cassettes in Real World Conditions in Africa
Provisionally accepted
Elijah Kolawole Oladipo1*
Sander Julian Brus2*
Sola Peter Ogunmodede1
Luis Fernando Barrios2Gladys Ayodeji Adigun1
Possible Okikiola Popoola1- 1Helix Biogen Institute, Ogbomosho, Nigeria
- 2Okos Diagnostics Nieuwe rijn 56A, 2312JH, Leiden, Netherlands
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The widespread use of Lateral flow assays (LFAs) has significantly improved diagnostic accessibility in low-and middle-income regions, yet their reliance on single-use plastic cassettes poses urgent environmental concerns as conventional plastics persist for centuries, degrading only into harmful microplastics. This study evaluated the biodegradability of certified plant-based diagnostic cassettes developed by Okos Diagnostics under field conditions in Nigeria using a four-month controlled burial study across three soil types: sandy, clayey, and loamy. The biodegradable cassettes, made from certified plant-based polymers, were monitored using precision weight analysis and qualitative degradation assessments, compared against conventional plastic controls. Results demonstrated statistically significant degradation in biodegradable cassettes with weight increases of 7.44% ± 0.12% (sandy), 7.02% ± 0.08% (clayey), and 11.36% ± 0.16% (loamy soil), showed the highest degradation rate. Observed initial weight increases primarily reflect moisture uptake and microbial biofilm formation on cassette surfaces rather than net polymer mass gain; these early-stage changes precede fragmentation and mineralization during biodegradation. ANOVA analysis revealed significant differences between soil types (F = 15.7, p < 0.001) and materials (F = 89.3, p < 0.0001), while plastic controls showed negligible change (1.36% ± 0.04%). Post hoc Tukey analysis showed that degradation in loamy soil was significantly higher than in sandy and clayey soils (p < 0.05). The study validates biodegradable cassettes eco-friendly alternatives capable of reducing diagnostic waste in resource-limited settings and provides baseline biodegradation data for tropical environments to inform global standards on sustainable diagnostic materials.
Keywords: Biodegradable, diagnostics, Lateral flow assays, Sustainable healthcare, Waste Management, Biodegradable Polymers, Eco-friendly
Received: 30 Aug 2025; Accepted: 25 Nov 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Oladipo, Brus, Ogunmodede, Barrios, Adigun and Popoola. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Elijah Kolawole Oladipo
Sander Julian Brus
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