A method of producing microbial biomass include providing a wastewater stream and determining the concentration of micronutrients selected from the group consisting of aluminum, boron, cobalt, magnesium, manganese, and zinc, and any combination thereof, in the wastewater stream. The method also includes determining the biological oxygen demand (BOD) normalized dose of the micronutrients, and modulating the concentration of at least one micronutrient in the wastewater stream to provide a micronutrient-modulated wastewater stream. The method further includes growing microbial biomass in the micronutrient-modulated wastewater stream.