Composites of hydroxyapatite (HAP) and organic compounds have been prepared for biomedical applications. These same composites may be applicable to environmental remediation. The organic compounds used for modification include organic acids, calcium chelating agents, proteins, compounds capable of ring-opening polymerization, and hydrophobic silicon-containing molecules. The methods for modification that have been studied are co-precipitation and post-HAP particle formation. It is proposed that modified-HAP (mHAP) could have enhanced metal ion selectivities. The techniques used to synthesize mHAP are reviewed.