One of the two strains isolated was identified as Acutodesmus sp., belonging to the subgenus of Scenedesmus, a member of the Scenedesmaceae. Based on electron microscopy studies, the genus Acutodesmus is characterized by longitudinal or net-like ridges produced by inner cellulosic cell walls. Further, NCBI BLAST searches confirmed that the obtained sequence was homologous to Acutodesmus deserticola , and the strain was then used in the experiments reported here.