Abstract: The hydrothermal carbon(HTC) was obtained at 180 ℃ for 36 h with glucose solution. A novel Mu-HTC adsorbent was prepared by murexide(Mu) assisted graft of HTC via thermal treatment, amidation and grafting of Mu in sequence. The analysis of Boehm titration indicate that the new adsorbent has 6 times the amount of carboxyl groups than raw HTC. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicate that Mu is successfully grafted to the surface of HTC. The morphologies and diameters of HTC do not change in the progress of functionalization by the SEM. The theoretical sorption capacity is 102.05 mg/g for uranium(Ⅵ) according to Langmuir adsorption isotherm equation at practical experiment conditions. The experiments of competitive ions indicate that the Mu-HTC selectively absorbs uranyl ions (accounting for about 72.8% of total adsorption capacity) in a simulated nuclear industrial waste water. The adsorbent can be used to purification of waste water and recovery of uranium.