Single step sol gel method was used for synthesising new generation hybrid material (Cal-Alg-GO beads) by impregnating graphene oxide (GO) in calcium alginate (Cal-Alg). The optimum composition of the hybrid material was 8% loading of graphene oxide into 4% Ca-alginate matrix. Although alginate itself have tendency for uranium uptake from aquatic medium, impregnation of GO enhanced it several times. Uptake studies were carried out in batch mode and the Cal-Alg-GO beads were found to be highly efficient for uranium decontamination (> 90%) in the pH range of 4–5. Beads were successfully tested for uptake of uranium from groundwater/river water/lake water. Sorption isotherm was seen to follow Langmuir model (R²=0.98) and the uptake capacity evaluated was 29.4 mg g⁻¹. Mechanism of sorption was proposed based on the zeta potential values of the GO and presence of various species of uranium at different pH. High sorption of uranium was attributed to the interaction of oxygen containing functional groups of GO with positively charged species of uranium while the negatively charged functional groups of alginate further enhanced the sorption.