Is the ground of an old cemetery suitable for the establishment of an urban park? A critical assessment based on soil and microbiological data

Purpose Considering that cemeteries may represent a potential environmental threat, the purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility to reclaim the area of an old cemetery for the establishment of an urban park. The old cemetery is located within the urban net of Nikaia municipality, in the Athens basin, Greece, and it has been operating for almost 80 years until 2003 that it was abandoned.