The cotton-knit-waste which was composed of 95% of $alpha$-cellulose was chemically modified to make it bind uranium and heavy metal ions. The highly cyanoethylated cotton waste (CE cotton waste, over D.S. 2.5) was prepared when cotton-knit-waste was pretreated with 30% NaOH solution at room temperature for 30 minute and then diluted to 10% NaOH solution without using the swelling agent such as NaSCN. The amidoximated cotton waste (AO cotton waste) was prepared by the reaction of CE cotton waste with hydroxylamlne in methanol for 4 hr at 67$^{circ}C$. CE cotton waste was converted to the AO cotton waste with a conversion of 84%. The structure of CE and AO cotton waste was identified by IR spectroscopy.