It was shown that IH is capable to retain phosphate anions from aqueous solutions in a slightly acidic to neutral pH range and can be used for the removal of inorganic phosphorus from wastewaters. The removal efficiency (sorption capacity) was comparable with that reported for other non-conventional sorbents. The sorption of phosphates is a relatively slow process requiring several days to approach equilibrium. Although ion-exchange and ligand-exchange mechanisms are effective in the phosphate retention, some other mechanisms play also a significant role, such as co-precipitation or surface precipitation. This conclusion is supported by the fact that a major portion of phosphorus is bound rather strongly to the sorbent matrix and may be hardly liberated into the environment, e.g by leaching with water. As a non-toxic material containing a significant amount of organic matter, IH could also be used as an amendment capable to modify a mobility and bioavailability of phosphorus in soils.