Chemical and biological warfare (CBW) agents pose unavoidable threat, both to soldiers and civilians. Exposure to such deadly agents amidst the CBW agents contaminated environment can be avoided by taking proper protective measures. Respiratory protection is indispensable when the soldiers or civilians are surrounded by such deadly environment as contamination-free air is needed for respiration purposes. In this context, an attempt has been made to review the literature for the past five decades on development of various protective devices for respiratory protection against aerosols, gases, and vapours of CBW agents. This review covers structural, textural, and adsorption properties of materials used in gas filters and mechanical filters for the removal of CBW agents. © 2008, DESIDOC.