Ability of different microalgae species in synthetic high‐strength wastewater treatment and potential lipid production

BACKGROUND Three green microalgae (Selenastrum capricornutum, Scenedesmus obliquus, and Chlorella vulgaris) were evaluated for their capability to support nutrient removal and to accumulate lipids in their cell during a 14‐day treatment of synthetic high‐strength wastewater (i.e. high carbon [C] and high nitrogen [N] loading wastewater) in batch tests. RESULTS Scenedesmus obliquus was superior to the other microalgae. It reached a removal rate of up to 82.49% ± 2.20% chemical oxygen demand (COD), 61.18% ± 2.11% total nitrogen (TN), and 95.40% ± 1.83% total phosphorus (TP) for high C loading wastewater and 80.04% ± 2.17% COD, 60.05% ± 2.20% TN, and 96.87% ± 1.95% TP for high N loading wastewater. However, the highest lipid productivity of microalgae was determined in C. vulgaris with 132.06 mg L−1 and 36.37 mg L−1 for high C and high N loading wastewater, respectively, because of its biomass production and relatively higher lipid content. CONCLUSION The appropriate screen of microalgal species is crucial to achieve optimal nutrient removal and high lipid productivity in synthetic high‐strength wastewater treatment, and S. obliquus is the optimal species.