The strategic microalgal lipid production without growth reduction is the desideratum for sustainable microalgal biodiesel production. The present study investigated the effect of polysorbates (polysorbate 20, polysorbate 40, polysorbate 60 & polysorbate 80) supplementation on growth, biomass and lipid production of microalga Tetradesmus obliquus BPL16. T. obliquus BPL16 at controlled condition showed 12.5% dry cell weight (DCW) of lipid content and 0.8 g L-1 of biomass production. Each of the four tested polysorbates at various concentrations magnificently influenced the green microalga with a maximum lipid production of 47.1% DCW and 46.5% DCW achieved at 0.15% of polysorbate 80 and 0.1% of polysorbate 60 supplementations respectively. The maximum biomass (2.6 g L-1) production was achieved at 0.15% of polysorbate 40 and polysorbate 60 supplementation respectively. In addition, neutral lipids and vital fatty acids proportion increased at high lipid productive conditions enabled by polysorbate supplementation. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.