Phycobiliprotein recovery coupled to the tertiary treatment of wastewater in semi-continuous photobioreactors. Tracking contaminants of emerging concern.

•Synechocystis sp. was used to recover pigments upon tertiary wastewater treatment.•Nutrients were efficiently removed from secondary effluent by Synechocystis sp.•Phycobiliprotein production potential in synthetic medium was 129.4 mg gDW−1.•Phycobiliprotein content in secondary effluent was stable, reaching 74.7 mg gDW−1.•Out of 22 organic microcontaminants, only 3 were detected in pigment rich extracts.