Comparative toxicity effect of organic and inorganic substances in palm oil mill effluent (POME) using native microalgae species

•The response of mix-culture microalgae was observed on organic and inorganic substances.•Acetic, butyric, formic and propionic acids promote microalgae growth at both short and long-term exposure.•Copper, as well as oil and grease, suppress microalgae growth during short-term exposure.•The most favorable growth rates of microalgal were in the range of pH 7-9.•POME can be used as renewable media for microalgae growth.