VFAs like acetate are the major soluble metabolites of food waste leachates after digested. Therefore this studyinvestigates the effect of acetate on growth rate and nutrient removal efficiency of Chlorella vulgaris to treat digested food wasteleachates. The initial acetate concentration varied from 0 to 20 mM. As a result, Chlorella vulgaris growth rate was increased ashigh as the concentrations ranged from 0 to 20 mM. The same trend was observed with NH4-N and PO4-P consumption. Thehighest growth rate and the highest NH4-N, PO4-P removal rate were observed at acetate concentration of 20 mM. The microalgaegrowth rate and NH4-N, PO4-P removal rates were 1.5, 1.8, 2.3 times higher than the condition without acetate.