How is the activity of daughter products in radioactive waste managed after hold-up?

The activity of daughter products in radioactive waste is managed with the understanding that they can indeed be more radioactive than their parent isotopes. This situation arises because many parent isotopes decay into daughter isotopes that can have shorter half-lives, leading to a more intense radioactivity in the immediate aftermath of decay.

An example of this is the decay series involving Uranium-238, where Radon-222 (a daughter product) is significantly more radioactive than its parent. In managing radioactive waste, it is crucial to account for the potential increase in radioactivity due to these daughter isotopes, especially during the initial decay period after hold-up. This understanding informs the protocols for monitoring and handling such waste to ensure safety and compliance with regulatory requirements.

While monitoring and possibly storing these daughter products separately is often a part of waste management practices, the core reason why option C is significant lies in recognizing the inherent risks associated with these decay chains. Handling practices and safety measures are adapted accordingly to mitigate the higher radiation levels presented by daughter products compared to associated parent isotopes.