In recent years, concepts such as the circular economy and the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) have reshaped our priorities. Traditional wastewater treatment plants often fall short in terms of sustainability standards; they require a significant amount of space, time, and energy to remove contaminants. Moreover, they often are inefficient against emerging pollutants, such as pharmaceuticals, posing a risk for the environment. A promising alternative lies in the use of the extremophilic red alga Galdieria daedala, which thrives in high-temperature and low-pH environments. This alga is particularly resilient as it can exploit different metabolic strategies for its growth which can be autotrophy, heterotrophy, or mixotrophy, under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. All these characteristics make it suitable for a heterogeneous and dynamic context such as wastewater and eliminate the need for oxygenation, reducing operational costs and energy demands. Moreover, G. daedala is known for its ability to remove carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, heavy metals, and pathogens from its media. Given its depurative potential, G. daedala may represent a promising tool for emerging pollutants removal, especially pharmaceuticals. In this study, data obtained from the adaptation of Galdieria to different pH values and different nitrate sources will be presented, followed by an evaluation of the toxicity of four different drugs on the microalga, in particular: two antibiotics (ciprofloxacin and amoxicillin) and two nonsteroidal anti‑inflammatory drugs (diclofenac and ibuprofen). These data will allow a more precise evaluation on the depurative effectiveness of G. daedala to phytoremediate municipal wastewater in a single-step process, thus allowing the removal of multiple contaminants simultaneously in a more sustainable process. The findings will contribute to the development of nature-based solutions to mitigate chemical and biological disturbances in aquatic systems driven by anthropogenic activity.