[2] Elastomeric respirators consist of a reusable mask that seals to the face, with exchangeable filters.

[6] Some, but not all, filter materials are proprietary and manufacturer-specific,[7] and supply-chain failures can make replacements hard to find.

The disposable cases protect the filter against splashes and can be wiped clean, which may be important in some applications.

These fit on common masks originally made to take proprietary filters (the type shown below).

The adapters hold circles cut out of surgical masks, utilizing them as filter discs (as shown above).

Most cartridges are made of activated charcoal, which has a very high surface area to adsorb toxins onto.

These carbon filters are often impregnated with reagents which react and bond with the specific airborne chemical(s) the cartridge targets.

This process is called chemisorption; the reagents bond the toxic gases and vapors before the wearer can breathe them in.

Cartridge service life is dependent on many factors,[5][22] including contaminant type and concentrations, interference from other chemicals, breathing rates, whether respirator use is continuous or intermittent, sorption capacity of the cartridges, and environmental factors like humidity and temperature.

[24][21][23] ESLIs may be moisture-dependent, in which case relying on them for use in dry atmospheres could cause dangerously high exposures.

[2] For substances hazardous to the eyes, a respirator equipped with a full facepiece, helmet, or hood is recommended.

Some commercially available respirators include sound-transmitting diaphragms and/or transparent windows giving a view of the mouth, to improve communication efficiency.

[5] Sweat does not evaporate as easily from under a mask; elastomeric respirators may be more hot and humid than FFRs.

More breathing resistance causes more fatigue, and makes the wearer more likely to feel out-of-breath or claustrophobic.

Tight straps, on any type of respirator, are reported to put pressure on the sinuses and cause headaches.

[35] The CDC has been recommending elastomeric respirators be used to protect people from droplet and airborne transmission of deadly viruses since 1992.

[5] They are used in the chemical industry when handling hazardous materials; workers are usually issued escape respirators as a precaution against leaks.

Workers are instructed to put their mask on and leave immediately to sound the alarm if they detect a leak.

The CDC has long recommended health care workers use elastomeric respirators during pandemics to keep themselves safe from droplet and airborne transmission.

The CDC recommended health care workers use elastomeric respirators for protection from SARS in 2003, H1N1 in 2009 and COVID-19 in April 2020.

In September 2019, Lew Radonovich and the CDC presented the plan to put elastomeric respirators in to widespread use during pandemics at the AOHP Nation conference in Baltimore.

In medical use, the elastomeric portions of the mask must also be cleaned and disinfected, as some germs can survive on them for weeks.

[60][61] Despite the aforementioned belief, a 2020 research by the NIOSH and CDC shows that an uncovered exhalation valve already provides source control on a level similar to, or even better than, surgical masks.

[62][63] Elastomeric respirators may be used for protection from chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear agents (CBRN).

[73][74][75] Journalists covering these events also use respirators, and where use of tear gas spreads into residential areas, even those not on the front lines may buy them.

Access to respirators has been restricted by authorities who regard them as tools of resistance, causing circumvention and smuggling.

[5] Depending on materials, elastomeric components of masks may be damaged by some cleaning methods (such as acetone, ethanol, strong hypochlorite and iodine solutions, quaternary ammonium salts, ethylene oxide, or temperatures over 50 °C/122 °F).

[2][5] The filter material may be damaged and lose effectiveness if it comes into contact with cleaning or disinfecting solutions.

Manufacturers generally advise throwing it out each time the mask is cleaned, but this may not be possible in shortage situations.

[76] They are also used by urban explorers venturing into environments where materials such as radioactive particles[77] or asbestos[78] may be present.