Increasing Phosphorus Uptake Efficiency by Phosphorus-Starved Microalgae for Municipal Wastewater Post-Treatment.

Four microalgal species, , , , and were studied for enhanced phosphorus removal from municipal wastewater after their exposure to phosphorus starvation. Microalgae were exposed to phosphorus starvation conditions for three and five days and then used in a batch experiment to purify an effluent from a small WWTP. After 3-day P-starvation, biomass growth rate increased by 50% and its PO removal rate reached > 99% within 7 days.