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In this era of globalization, various products and technologies are being developed by the industries. While resources and energy are utilized from processes, wastes are being excreted through water streams, air, and ground. Without realizing it, environmental pollutions increase as the country develops. Effective technology is desired to create green factories that are able to overcome these issues. Wastewater is classified as the water coming from domestic or industrial sources. Wastewater treatment includes physical, chemical, and biological treatment processes. Aerobic and anaerobic processes are utilized in biological treatment approach. However, the current biological approaches emit greenhouse gases (GHGs), methane, and carbon dioxide that contribute to global warming. Microalgae can be the alternative to treating wastewater as it is able to consume nutrients from wastewater loading and fix CO as it undergoes photosynthesis. The utilization of microalgae in the system will directly reduce GHG emissions with low operating cost within a short period of time. The aim of this review is to discuss the uses of native microalgae species in palm oil mill effluent (POME) and flue gas remediation. In addition, the discussion on the optimal microalgae cultivation parameter selection is included as this is significant for effective microalgae-based treatment operations.

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Microalgae have been found to have high prospects in wastewater treatment, particularly from agriculture. However, the uneconomical algal medium growth has become the major disadvantaged in algal industry. Multiple attempts includes the development of microalgae phycoremediation technology has been integrated into wastewater treatment to reduce the cost of expensive wastewater remediation. Utilising wastewater as a low-cost nutrient medium offers a synergistic effect of wastewater nutrient removal and co-production of valuable biomass simultaneously. This paper is mainly focused on potential, ability, strategy, application (i.e., palm oil wastewater), limitation and challenges of microalgae in agricultural wastewater treatment using phycoremediation. The understanding of cultivating microalgae using agriculture wastewater shall promote the utilisation of wastewater more sustainably in the future. The possible solutions in the application of microalgae for aquaculture and agriculture sector is also discussed in this review. Overall, the utilisation of wastewater in media cultivation for microalgae is restricted due to the expensive treatment and safety concern. However, this pitfall can be reduced in the future together with a further intensive scientific study, advanced technology, better management system and applying better standard protocol.