Isolation of microalgae with growth restriction and nutrient removal from alkaline wastewater

In order to isolate a well-tolerated microalgae strain and study its capability of wastewater treatment, a newly microalgae strain was isolated and identified from fresh water. The phylogenetic analysis indicates that this strain has a close relationship with Desmodesmus sp., named as EJ 9-2. The effects of temperature, pH value and NaCl concentration on growth of Desmondesmus sp. were investigated; the capability of nutrient removal from alkaline wastewater was also observed. Desmodesmus sp. EJ 9-2 had a wide pH adaptation range (3-12) and could remove nitrogen, phosphorus and COD which might substantially decrease the cost of biofuel production. The research can provide evidence for outdoor large-scale cultivation of microalgae.