Air-borne　pollutants　in　particulate　matter　(PM)　form,　produced　either　physically　during　industrial　processes　or　certain　biological　routes,　have　posed　a　great　threat　to　human　health.　Particularly　during　the　current　COVID-19　pandemic,　effective　filtration　of　the　virus　is　an　urgent　matter　worldwide.　In　this　review,　we　first　introduce　some　fundamentals　about　PM,　including　its　source　and　classification,　filtration　mechanisms,　and　evaluation　parameters.　Advanced　filtration　materials　and　their　functions　are　then　summarized,　among　which　polymers　and　MOFs　are　discussed　in　detail　together　with　their　antibacterial　performance.　The　discussion　on　the　application　is　divided　into　end-of-pipe　treatment　and　source　control.　Finally,　we　conclude　this　review　with　our　prospective　view　on　future　research　in　this　area.　(c)　2022　Institute　of　Process　Engineering,　Chinese　Academy　of　Sciences.　Publishing　services　by　Elsevier　B.V.　on　behalf　of　KeAi　Communications　Co.,　Ltd.　This　is　an　open　access　article　under　the　CC　BY-NC-ND　license　(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).