Native fungal biomass of fungi Absidia orchidis, Penicillium chrysogenum, Rhizopus arrhizus, Rhizopus nigricans, and modified spruce sawdust (Picea engelmanii) sequestered metals in the following decreasing preference pb > Cd > Ni. The highest metal uptake was q(max) = 351 mg Pb/g A. orchidis biomass. P. chrysogenum biomass could accumulate cadmium best at 56 mg Cd/g. The sorption of nickel was the weakest always at < 5 mg Ni/g. The spruce sawdust was modified by crosslinking, oxidation to acidic oxoforms, and by substitution. The highest metal uptake was observed in phosphorylated sawdust reaching q(max) = 224 mg Pb/g, 56 mg Cd/g, and 26 mg Ni/g. The latter value is comparable to the value of nickel sorption by wet commercial resin Duolite GT-73. Some improvement in metal uptake was also observed after reinforcement of fungal biomass.