Environmental Impact of Toxic Metal Load in Some Military Training Areas within the One Division of Nigerian Army, Kaduna, Nigeria

The results of six trace metals in the three military training areas in Nigeria, within Kaduna metropolis, viz:- Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, Nigeria Air Force Base, Kaduna and Nigeria Army Depot, Zaria were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The level of lead, copper, chromium, zinc manganese and Nickel were assessed. The samples were collected in the month of September and the highest concentration of lead was found in Nigerian Air Force base shooting range (526.49mg/kg). Lead was also found to be high in the Shooting range of Nigeria Army Depot, Zaria (216.49 mg/kg) while the Armed Forces Command and Staff College shooting range, Jaji has the least value (54.39mg/kg). The trend of trace metals in Nigeria Army Depot, Zaria , Shooting range is Mn > Pb > Zn> Cr>Cu >Ni while in Nigeria Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji, Shooting range it is Mn >Cr > Pb> Zn >Cu> Ni and at the Nigeria Air Force base, Kaduna it changes to Pb> Mn > Cu > Zn >Cr. The high value of Mn and Pb obtained in all the areas could be attributed to military activities. This result obtained indicates that military training areas are polluted with trace metals. The results are explained in terms of its health effect on the troops and the host community.