Disposal of wastewater often results in high nutrient loading in to aquatic environments,which may lead
to favorable conditions for undesirable phytoplankton blooms. Microalgae are efficient in removing
nitrogen,phosphorus,andtoxic metals from wastewater under controlled environments.If key nutrients
in the wastewater stream can beused to grow microalgae for biofuel production,the nutrients can be
removed,thus significantly reducing the risk of harmful phytoplankton overgrowth.This review paper
summarizes the major nutrient components of different wastewater streams,the mechanisms of algal
nutrient uptake,nutrient removal performance of various species of microalgae when cultured in
wastewater,and current microalgae production systems.Finally,new algae cultivation technologies
applicableforbiofuelproductionandnutrientrecoveryinpollutedwaterbodiesarediscussed.