Biomolecular identification for Environmental Health Risk AssesmentPerša, Sara (Avtor) Lobnik, Aleksandra (Mentor) Mabes Raj, Antoney Francis Paulraj Allwin (Komentor) environmental healthbiosensorneurodegenerative diseasebiomarkerAlzheimer’s diseaseChronic exposure to pollutants such as particulate matter, pesticides, and potentially toxic elements is increasingly linked to Alzheimer's disease (AD), yet conventional analytical methods measure environmental concentrations without capturing biological effects. With this thesis, we focus on the evaluation of aptamer- and peptide-based biosensors as tools to bridge that gap. We reviewed mechanistic links between toxic elements and AD pathology (amyloid-β aggregation, tau hyperphosphorylation, oxidative stress) and compared conventional diagnostics with emerging electrochemical and optical platforms. Molecular docking identified Aptamer 7 as a lead candidate, subsequently examined by ultrafiltration, ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, and native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), supporting a shift from concentration-based pollutant analysis toward effect-based environmental health monitoring.20262026-08-10 10:04:37Magistrsko delo/naloga99243sl