Dissolved organic phosphorus bioremediation from food-waste centrate using microalgae.

Dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) accounts for a substantial proportion of the total phosphorus remaining in the wastewater discharge and remains a concern for the receiving environment. This study assessed the potential of wastewater microalgae for the bioremediation of DOP from anaerobically digested food-waste centrate. For high DOP to low DIP ratio, the microalgal consortia was able to remove over 98% of DOP and 95% of total dissolved phosphorus. However, under a 1:1 ratio of DOP to DIP, the microalgal consortia was only able to remove 5% of the organic phosphorus and 76% of total dissolved phosphorus. All five main microalgal species were capable of producing alkaline phosphatase to some degree, the enzyme responsible for hydrolysing the phosphorus. For the dominant species Desmodesmus communis, total phosphatase activity reduced from 46.0 ± 2.3 mmol L-1 h-1 in axenic cultures to only 6.3 ± 0.7 mmol L-1 h-1 in presence of its microbiome. This resulted in a reduction in biomass from 209 ± 13 g m-3 to 73 ± 5 g m-3. For Tetradesmus dimorphus, alkaline phosphatase increased from 6.5 ± 0.3 mmol L-1 h-1 in the axenic culture to 169.8 ± 40.1 mmol L-1 h-1 in presence of both its microbiome and centrate-sourced bacteria but had little impact on biomass production. DOP removal rates across all five species, in all treatments ranged from 17 to 91%. With the exception of D. communis, the nutrient removal efficiency of DOP per unit biomass suggested luxury uptake of phosphorus into the microalgal cell. For wastewaters with low inorganic and moderate to high organic phosphorus microalgal-based wastewater treatment systems may offer a cost-effective mechanism for the removal and recovery of dissolved organic phosphorus from wastewater. Further research on refining organic phosphorus bioremediation in a range of wastewater types, particularly at pilot and full-scale, is needed.

Case study on the effect continuous CO2 enrichment, via biogas scrubbing, has on biomass production and wastewater treatment in a high rate algal pond.

Microalgae grown in high rate algal ponds (HRAP) treating wastewater are considered a promising feed for biofuel production. Biomass productivity is often considered to be limited by carbon availability, with the addition of CO2 being the proposed solution. Biogas from anaerobic wastewater treatment potentially provides a cheap, co-located CO2 source. Two identical 223 m2 HRAPs were constructed at Melbourne Water's Western Treatment Plant, where biogas from an anaerobic lagoon is used to generate electricity. One HRAP was fed secondary treated wastewater that had been enriched with CO2 recovered from the biogas using industry standard biogas scrubbers, the Enriched HRAP, while the other HRAP was fed the same wastewater expect it had by passed the biogas scrubbers, the Control HRAP. The biomass production and wastewater treatment performance of the two HRAPs was compared over 12 months. The inlet to the Enriched HRAP had significantly higher free CO2 and inorganic carbon, 175.00 ±â€¯49.30 mg L-1 and 110.00 ±â€¯10.2 mg L-1, than the inlet to the Control HRAP, 9.30 ±â€¯7.08 mg L-1 and 89.62 ±â€¯5.12 mg L-1. There were no significant differences in biomass production between the HRAPs as measured by dry matter, particulate organic carbon or nitrogen. Chlorophyll a was statistically higher in the Enriched HRAP, however, this measurement is potentially unreliable. Regarding wastewater treatment, only total nitrogen and ammonium removal differed significantly between the HRAPs, with the Control HRAP, 59.13 ±â€¯21.13% and 76.46 ±â€¯32.33%, slightly outperforming the Enriched HRAP, 53.52 ±â€¯17.41% and 68.76 ±â€¯31.17%. Overall, neither biomass production nor wastewater treatment was meaningfully improved by CO2 enrichment, however, wastewater treatment was still effective in both HRAPs.

High-rate algal pond coupled with a matrix of Spirogyra sp. for treatment of rural streams with nutrient pollution.

This study evaluated the unique features of a filamentous algae matrix (FAM) that can be applied to high rate algal ponds (HRAPs) as a promising way to remove nutrient from polluted rural streams. The results show that the HRAPs, coupled with the FAM, effectively removed nitrogen and phosphorus (79.8% and 81.2%, respectively), and achieved high production of DO, with a maximum of 11.0 g O2 g FAM-1 d-1. The FAM functioned wells as a screen to prevent excessive algae loss from the system and obtained relatively high biomass growth rate (0.032 mg L-1 d-1 for nitrogen and 0.344 mg L-1 d-1 for phosphorus). The harvested FAM was a useful fertilizer and the rate of addition of FAM were 1.52 kg d-1 ha-1 of nitrogen and 0.44 kg d-1 ha-1 of phosphorus. Thus, combining the HRAP with the FAM was an effective nutrient removal and resource utilization system for rural streams.

Mini-review: high rate algal ponds, flexible systems for sustainable wastewater treatment.

Over the last 20 years, there has been a growing requirement by governments around the world for organisations to adopt more sustainable practices. Wastewater treatment is no exception, with many currently used systems requiring large capital investment, land area and power consumption. High rate algal ponds offer a sustainable, efficient and lower cost option to the systems currently in use. They are shallow, mixed lagoon based systems, which aim to maximise wastewater treatment by creating optimal conditions for algal growth and oxygen production-the key processes which remove nitrogen and organic waste in HRAP systems. This design means they can treat wastewater to an acceptable quality within a fifth of time of other lagoon systems while using 50% less surface area. This smaller land requirement decreases both the construction costs and evaporative water losses, making larger volumes of treated water available for beneficial reuse. They are ideal for rural, peri-urban and remote communities as they require minimum power and little on-site management. This review will address the history of and current trends in high rate algal pond development and application; a comparison of their performance with other systems when treating various wastewaters; and discuss their potential for production of added-value products. Finally, the review will consider areas requiring further research.

Strategy for the formation of microalgae-bacteria aggregates in high-rate algal ponds.

This work studied the formation of aggregates used for wastewater treatment in high-rate algal ponds (HRAP). For this, the establishment of microalgae-bacteria aggregates in these systems was evaluated, considering strategies for the inoculation and start-up. Two HRAP were operated in parallel, at first in batch mode and then in continuous flow. The wastewater treatment was efficient, with removal rates around 80% for COD and N-ammoniacal. Volatile suspended solids and chlorophyll for the culture grew continuously reached a concentration of 548 ± 11 mg L-1 and 7.8 mg L-1, respectively. Larger photogranules were observed when the system was placed in a continuous regime. The protein fraction of extracellular polymeric substances was identified as a determinant in photogranules formation. During the continuous regime, more than 50% of the biomass was higher than 0.2 mm, flocculation efficiency of 78 ± 6%, and the volumetric sludge index of 32 ± 5 mL g-1. The genetic sequencing showed the growth of cyanobacteria in the aggregate and the presence of microalgae from the chlorophytes and diatoms groups in the final biomass.

Effect of digestate loading rates on microalgae-based treatment under low LED light intensity.

Low red-LED irradiances are an attractive alternative for enhancing microalgae photobioreactors treating digestate due to their potential contribution in decreasing area footprints with low energy consumptions. However, more information is required regarding the influence of digestate load on treatment performance and biomass valorisation when low-intensity red-LEDs are applied. Thus, this study assessed microalgae-based photobioreactors treating food waste digestate under different concentrations (5%, 25%, 50%, and 75%, v/v) at low red-LED irradiance (15 µmol·m-2·s-1). The removal efficiencies of soluble chemical oxygen demand (sCOD) at the end of the experiment ranged from 45% to 75% when treating influent loads between 5.3 and 79.1 g sCOD·m-3·d-1 (5% and 75%-digestate), respectively. Total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) was applied in loading rates between 3.2 and 48.5 g TAN·m-3·d-1 (5% and 75%, respectively) and removed with maximum efficiencies of 90%-100% in all trials. Nitrification-denitrification was proportionally more relevant when treating 5%-digestate, whereas volatilisation was the primary process in 25%, 50% and 75% concentrations. Microalgae presented adequate yields in all treatments, except in 75%-digestate, likely due to the blocking of light by the high solids concentrations. The assessment of the microalgae community and chlorophyll-a and carotenoids suggested that chlorophytes, mainly Dictyosphaerium pulchellum and Scenedesmus sp. grew autotrophically, whereas cyanobacteria Pseudanabaena sp. grew mixotrophically. Moreover, the sustainability of red LED lighting applications can be increased by anaerobic digestion or agricultural valorisation of the biomass, enabled by its high N and P contents. Low-intensity red-LEDs may have promissory applications in the treatment of high-strength wastewaters.

Reduction and liquid-solid partitioning of SARS-CoV-2 and adenovirus throughout the different stages of a pilot-scale wastewater treatment plant.

Investigating waterborne viruses is of great importance to minimizing risks to public health. Viruses tend to adsorb to sludge particles from wastewater processes by electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions between virus, aquatic matrix, and particle surface. Sludge is often re-used in agriculture; therefore, its evaluation is also of great interest to public health. In the present study, a pilot scale system treating real domestic wastewater from a large city in Brazil was used to evaluate the removal, the overall reduction, and liquid-solid partitioning of human adenovirus (HAdV), the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and fecal indicators (F-specific coliphages and E. coli). The system consists of a high-rate algal pond (HRAP) post-treating the effluent of an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor. Samples were collected from the influent and effluent of each unit, as well as from the sludge of the UASB and from the microalgae biomass in the HRAP. Pathogens and indicators were quantified by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) (for HAdV), qPCR with reverse transcription (RTqPCR) (for SARS-CoV-2), the double agar plaque assay (for coliphages), and the most probable number (MPN) method (for E. coli). The removal and overall reduction of HAdV and SARS-CoV-2 was greater than 1-log10. Almost 60% of remaining SARS-CoV-2 RNA and more than 70% of remaining HAdV DNA left the system in the sludge, demonstrating that both viruses may have affinity for solids. Coliphages showed a much lower affinity to solids, with only 3.7% leaving the system in the sludge. The system performed well in terms of the removal of organic matter and ammoniacal nitrogen, however tertiary treatment would be necessary to provide further pathogen reduction, if the effluent is to be reused in agriculture. To our knowledge, this is the first study that evaluated the reduction and partitioning of SARS-CoV-2 and HAdV through the complete cycle of a wastewater treatment system consisting of a UASB reactor followed by HRAPs.

Can high rate algal ponds be used as post-treatment of UASB reactors to remove micropollutants?

The present study evaluated the removal capacity of a UASB-HRAP treatment system, combining anaerobic and microalgae-based, aerobic treatment, for eleven organic micropollutants present in raw sewage, including pharmaceuticals, estrogens and xenoestrogens. The UASB reactor and the HRAP were operated at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 7 h and 8 days, respectively. Influent and effluent samples from the UASB and HRAP were collected periodically. All the target compounds were detected in raw sewage, with an occurrence ranging from 70 to 100%. Removal rates in the UASB reactor were generally incomplete, ranging from no removal (-25.12% for the hormone EE2-ethinylestradiol) to 84.91% (E2 - estradiol). However, the overall performance of the UASB + HRAP system was highly efficient for the majority of the compounds, with removal rates ranging from 64.8% (ibuprofen) to 95% (estrone). Gemfibrozil and bisphenol A were the only exceptions, with overall removal rates of 39% and 43%, respectively. Hormones were the compounds with the highest removal rates in the system.

Microalgae based biofertilizer: A life cycle approach.

Waste, especially biomass in general, is a large reservoir of nutrients that can be recovered through different technologies and used to produce biofertilizers. In the present study, environmental impacts of the production of microalgae biomass-based phosphate biofertilizer compared to triple superphosphate through life-cycle assessment conducted in the Simapro® software were investigated. The functional unit of the analysis was 163 g of P for both fertilizers. Phosphorus was recovered from a meat processing industry effluent in a high-rate algal pond. Impacts related to the entire biofertilizer chain impacted mainly on climate changes (3.17 kg CO2eq). Microalgae biofertilizer had higher environmental impact than conventional fertilizer in all impact categories, highlighting climate change and terrestrial ecotoxicity. An ideal scenario was created considering that: all energy used comes from photovoltaic panels; in the separation step a physical method will be used, without energy expenditure (i.e. gravimetric sedimentation) and; biomass will be dried in a drying bed instead of the thermal drying. In this scenario, the impact of biofertilizer approached considerably those of triple superphosphate. When impacts of biomass cultivation and concentration stages were disregarded, drying step was of great relevance, contributing to increase biofertilizer impacts. More research is needed to optimize the algae production chain and determine the possibility of obtaining higher added value products more environmental attractive.

Influence of Water Depth on Microalgal Production, Biomass Harvest, and Energy Consumption in High Rate Algal Pond Using Municipal Wastewater.

The high rate algal ponds (HRAP) powered and mixed by a paddlewheel have been widely used for over 50 years to culture microalgae for the production of various products. Since light incidence is limited to the surface, water depth can affect microalgal growth in HRAP. To investigate the effect of water depth on microalgal growth, a mixed microalgal culture constituting three major strains of microalgae including Chlorella sp., Scenedesmus sp., and Stigeoclonium sp. (CSS), was grown at different water depths (20, 30, and 40 cm) in the HRAP, respectively. The HRAP with 20cm of water depth had about 38% higher biomass productivity per unit area (6.16 ± 0.33 g·m⁻²·d⁻¹) and required lower nutrients and energy consumption than the other water depths. Specifically, the algal biomass of HRAP under 20c m of water depth had higher settleability through larger floc size (83.6% settleability within 5 min). These results indicate that water depth can affect the harvesting process as well as cultivation of microalgae. Therefore, we conclude that water depth is an important parameter in HRAP design for mass cultivation of microalgae.

Energetic potential of algal biomass from high-rate algal ponds for the production of solid biofuels.

In this investigation, chemical characteristics, higher, lower and net heating value, bulk and energy density, and thermogravimetric analysis were applied to study the thermal characteristics of three algal biomasses. These biomasses, grown as by-products of wastewater treatment in high-rate algal ponds (HRAPs), were: (i) biomass produced in domestic effluent and collected directly from an HRAP (PO); (ii) biomass produced in domestic effluent in a mixed pond-panel system and collected from the panels (PA); and (iii) biomass originating from the treatment effluent from the meat processing industry and collected directly from an HRAP (IN). The biomass IN was the best alternative for thermal power generation. Subsequently, a mixture of the algal biomasses and Jatropha epicarp was used to produce briquettes containing 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of algal biomass, and their properties were evaluated. In general, the addition of algal biomass to briquettes decreased both the hygroscopicity and fixed carbon content and increased the bulk density, ash content, and energy density. A 50% proportion of biomass IN was found to be the best raw material for producing briquettes. Therefore, the production of briquettes consisting of algal biomass and Jatropha epicarp at a laboratory scale was shown to be technically feasible.

Optimization of pilot high rate algal ponds for simultaneous nutrient removal and lipids production.

Special attention is required to the removal of nitrogen and phosphorous in treated wastewaters. Although, there are a wide range of techniques commercially available for nutrient up-take, these processes entail high investment and operational costs. In the other hand, microalgae growth can simultaneously remove inorganic constituents of wastewater and produce energy rich biomass. Among all the cultivation technologies, High Rate Algae Ponds (HRAPs), are accepted as the most appropriate system. However, the optimization of the operation that maximizes the productivity, nutrient removal and lipid content in the biomass generated has not been established. In this study, the effect of two levels of depth and the addition of CO2 were evaluated. Batch essays were used for the calculation of the kinetic parameters of microbial growth that determine the optimum conditions for continuous operation. Nutrient removal and lipid content of the biomass generated were analyzed. The best conditions were found at depth of 0.3m with CO2 addition (biomass productivity of 26.2gTSSm-2d-1 and a lipid productivity of 6.0glipidsm-2d-1) in continuous mode. The concentration of nutrients was in all cases below discharge limits established by the most restrictive regulation for wastewater discharge.

Cultivation and selection of cyanobacteria in a closed photobioreactor used for secondary effluent and digestate treatment.

The main objective of this study was to select and grow wastewater-borne cyanobacteria in a closed photobioreactor (PBR) inoculated with a mixed consortium of microalgae. The 30L PBR was fed with a mixture of urban secondary effluent and digestate, and operated in semi-continuous mode. Based on the nutrients variation of the influent, three different periods were distinguished during one year of operation. Results showed that total inorganic nitrogen (TIN), inorganic phosphorus concentration (PO43-), phosphorus volumetric load (LV-P) and carbon limited/non-limited conditions leaded to different species composition, nutrients removal and biomass production in the culture. High TIN/PO43- concentrations in the influent (36mg N L-1/3mg P L-1), carbon limitation and an average LV-P of 0.35mg P L-1d-1 were negatively related to cyanobacteria dominance and nutrients removal. On the contrary, cyanobacteria predominance over green algae and the highest microbial biomass production (averaging 0.084g Volatile Suspended Solids (VSS) L-1d-1) were reached under TIN/PO43- concentrations of 21mg N L-1/2mg P L-1, no carbon limitation and an average LV-P of 0.23mg P-PO43- L-1d-1. However, although cyanobacteria predominance was also favored with a LV-P 0.15mg L-1d-1, biomass production was negatively affected due to a P limitation in the culture, resulting in a biomass production of 0.0.39g VSS L-1d-1. This study shows that the dominance of cyanobacteria in a microalgal cyanobacterial community in an agitated PBR using wastewater as nutrient source can be obtained and maintained for 234days. These data can also be applied in future biotechnology applications to optimize and enhance the production of added value products by cyanobacteria in wastewater treatment systems.

Ciprofloxacin removal during secondary domestic wastewater treatment in high rate algal ponds.

This study investigated the removal of antibiotic ciprofloxacin during the treatment of real wastewater using high rate algal ponds (HRAP). When spiked at 2 mg/L into primary domestic wastewater, ciprofloxacin (CPX) was efficiently removed from laboratory scale photobioreactors continuously operated under various durations of artificial illumination and hydraulic residence times. Subsequent batch tests conducted with reactor microcosms showed CPX removal was mainly caused by photodegradation during daytime, and sorption to biomass during night time. These findings were confirmed during an experiment conducted in a 1000 L pilot HRAP operated outdoors, as well as during outdoor batch assays conducted using pilot HRAP microcosms. While these results highlight a potentially interesting treatment capacity in comparison to conventional biological treatment, further research must confirm these findings at relevant pollutant concentration (ng-µg/L) and determine the fate and potential toxicity of degradation products.

Microalgae-bacteria models evolution: From microalgae steady-state to integrated microalgae-bacteria wastewater treatment models - A comparative review.

The search for environmentally neutral alternative fuels had revived the interest for microalgae-bacteria wastewater treatment systems. The potential achieving of bioproducts from microalgae biomass has also greatly contributed. The reactions that occur in these systems are complex, and the degree of scientific knowledge is still scarce compared to that of conventional bacteria wastewater treatments. Mathematical models offer a great opportunity to study the simultaneous effect of the multiple factors affecting microalgae and bacteria, thus allowing for the prediction of final biomass production, and contributing to the system design optimization in terms of operation and control. During the last decades, numerous models describing microalgae growth have been proposed. However, a lower number of integral models considering microalgae as well as bacteria is available. In this paper, the evolution of microalgae models from simple steady-state models (usually dependent on one factor) to more complex dynamic models (with two or more factors) has been revised. A summary of integrated microalgae-bacteria models has been reviewed, outlining their main features and presenting their processes and value parameters. Eventually, a critical discussion on integrated models has been put forward.

Microalgal-bacterial aggregates: Applications and perspectives for wastewater treatment.

Research on wastewater treatment by means of microalgal-bacterial processes has become a hot topic worldwide during the last two decades. Owing to the lower energy demand for oxygenation, the enhanced nutrient removal and the potential for resource recovery, microalgal-based technologies are nowadays considered as a good alternative to conventional activated sludge treatments in many instances. Nevertheless, biomass harvesting still constitutes one of the major challenges of microalgal-bacterial systems for wastewater treatment, which is hindered by the poor settleability of microalgal biomass. In this review, the use of microalgal-bacterial aggregates (MABAs) to overcome harvesting issues and to enhance resource recovery is presented. The fundamentals of MABAs-based technologies, the operational strategies and factors affecting the formation of MABAs, the microbiology and the methanogenic potential of the aggregates are addressed and critically discussed. The most recent findings and the challenges facing this technology towards its consolidation are also presented.

Modifying the high rate algal pond light environment and its effects on light absorption and photosynthesis.

The combined use of high rate algal ponds (HRAPs) for wastewater treatment and commercial algal production is considered to be an economically viable option. However, microalgal photosynthesis and biomass productivity is constrained in HRAPs due to light limitation. This paper investigates how the light climate in the HRAP can be modified through changes in pond depth, hydraulic retention time (HRT) and light/dark turnover rate and how this impacts light absorption and utilisation by the microalgae. Wastewater treatment HRAPs were operated at three different pond depth and HRT during autumn. Light absorption by the microalgae was most affected by HRT, significantly decreasing with increasing HRT, due to increased internal self-shading. Photosynthetic performance (as defined by Pmax, Ek and α), significantly increased with increasing pond depth and decreasing HRT. Despite this, increasing pond depth and/or HRT, resulted in decreased pond light climate and overall integrated water column net oxygen production. However, increased light/dark turnover was able to compensate for this decrease, bringing the net oxygen production in line with shallower ponds operated at shorter HRT. On overcast days, modelled daily net photosynthesis significantly increased with increased light/dark turnover, however, on clear days such increased turnover did not enhance photosynthesis. This study has showed that light absorption and photosynthetic performance of wastewater microalgae can be modified through changes to pond depth, HRT and light/dark turnover.

Enhancing microalgal photosynthesis and productivity in wastewater treatment high rate algal ponds for biofuel production.

With microalgal biofuels currently receiving much attention, there has been renewed interest in the combined use of high rate algal ponds (HRAP) for wastewater treatment and biofuel production. This combined use of HRAPs is considered to be an economically feasible option for biofuel production, however, increased microalgal productivity and nutrient removal together with reduced capital costs are needed before it can be commercially viable. Despite HRAPs being an established technology, microalgal photosynthesis and productivity is still limited in these ponds and is well below the theoretical maximum. This paper critically evaluates the parameters that limit microalgal light absorption and photosynthesis in wastewater HRAPs and examines biological, chemical and physical options for improving light absorption and utilisation, with the view of enhancing biomass production and nutrient removal.

The effects of CO2 addition along a pH gradient on wastewater microalgal photo-physiology, biomass production and nutrient removal.

Carbon limitation in domestic wastewater high rate algal ponds is thought to constrain microalgal photo-physiology and productivity, particularly in summer. This paper investigates the effects of CO2 addition along a pH gradient on the performance of wastewater microalgae in high rate algal mesocosms. Performance was measured in terms of light absorption, electron transport rate, photosynthetic efficiency, biomass production and nutrient removal efficiency. Light absorption by the microalgae increased by up to 128% with increasing CO2 supply, while a reduction in the package effect meant that there was less internal self-shading thereby increasing the efficiency of light absorption. CO2 augmentation increased the maximum rate of both electron transport and photosynthesis by up to 256%. This led to increased biomass, with the highest yield occurring at the highest dissolved inorganic carbon/lowest pH combination tested (pH 6.5), with a doubling of chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) biomass while total microalgal biovolume increased by 660% in Micractinium bornhemiense and by 260% in Pediastrum boryanum dominated cultures. Increased microalgal biomass did not off-set the reduction in ammonia volatilisation in the control and overall nutrient removal was lower with CO2 than without. Microalgal nutrient removal efficiency decreased as pH decreased and may have been related to decreased Chl-a per cell. This experiment demonstrated that CO2 augmentation increased microalgal biomass in two distinct communities, however, care must be taken when interpreting results from standard biomass measurements with respect to CO2 augmentation.

Effects of two different nutrient loads on microalgal production, nutrient removal and photosynthetic efficiency in pilot-scale wastewater high rate algal ponds.

When wastewater treatment high rate algal ponds (HRAP) are coupled with resource recovery processes, such as biofuel production, short hydraulic retention times (HRTs) are often favoured to increase the microalgal biomass productivity. However, short HRT can result in increased nutrient load to the HRAP which may negatively impact on the performance of the microalgae. This paper investigate the effects of high (NH4-N mean concentration 39.7 ± 17.9 g m(-3)) and moderate ((NH4-N mean concentration 19.9 ± 8.9 g m(-3)) nutrient loads and short HRT on the performance of microalgae with respect to light absorption, photosynthesis, biomass production and nutrient removal in pilot-scale (total volume 8 m(3)) wastewater treatment HRAPs. Microalgal biomass productivity was significantly higher under high nutrient loads, with a 133% and 126% increase in the chlorophyll-a and VSS areal productivities, respectively. Microalgae were more efficient at assimilating NH4-N from the wastewater under higher nutrient loads compared to moderate loads. Higher microalgal biomass with increased nutrient load resulted in increased light attenuation in the HRAP and lower light absorption efficiency by the microalgae. High nutrient loads also resulted in improved photosynthetic performance with significantly higher maximum rates of electron transport, oxygen production and quantum yield. This experiment demonstrated that microalgal productivity and nutrient removal efficiency were not inhibited by high nutrient loads, however, higher loads resulted in lower water quality in effluent discharge.