BACKGROUND:Three green microalgae (Selenastrum capricornutum, Scenedesmus obliquus, and Chlorella vuigaris) were evaluated for their capability to support nutrient removal and to accumulate lipids in their cell during a 14-day treatment of synthetic high-strength wastewater (i.e. high carbon ICI and high nitrogen [N] loading wastewater) in batch tests. RESULTS: Scenedesmus obliquus was superior to the other microalgae. It reached a removal rate of up to 82.49% +/- 2.20% chemical oxygen demand (COD), 61.18% +/- 2.11% total nitrogen (TN), and 95.40% +/- 1.83% total phosphorus (TP) for high C loading wastewater and 80.04% +/- 2.17% COD, 60.05% +/- 2.20% TN, and 96.87% +/- 1.95% TP for high N loading wastewater. However, the highest lipid productivity of microalgae was determined in C. vulgaris with 132.06 mg L-1 and 36.37 mg L-1 for high C and high N loading wastewater, respectively, because of its biomass production and relatively higher lipid content. CONCLUSION: The appropriate screen of microalgal species is crucial to achieve optimal nutrient removal and high lipid productivity in synthetic high-strength wastewater treatment, and S. obliquus is the optimal species. (C) 2016 Society of Chemical Industry