Compression ignition (Cl) engines are the most popular prime-movers for transportation sector as well as for stationary applications. Petroleum reserves are rapidly and continuously depleting at an alarming pace and there is an urgent need to find alternative energy resources to control both, the global warming and the air pollution, which is primarily attributed to combustion of fossil fuels. In last couple of decades, biodiesel has emerged as the most important alternative fuel candidate to mineral diesel. Numerous experimental investigations have confirmed that biodiesel results in improved engine performance, lower emissions, particularly lower particulate mass emissions vis-a-vis mineral diesel and is therefore relatively more environment friendly fuel, being renewable in nature. Environmental and health effects of particulates are not simply dependent on the particulate mass emissions but these change depending upon varying physical and chemical characteristics of particulates. Particulate characteristics are dependent on largely unpredictable interactions between engine technology, after-treatment technology, engine operating conditions as well as fuel and lubricating oil properties. This review paper presents an exhaustive summary of literature on the effect of biodiesel and its blends on exhaust particulate's physical characteristics (such as particulate mass, particle number-size distribution, particle surface area-size distribution, surface morphology) and chemical characteristics (such as elemental and organic carbon content, speciation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons, crustal and anthropogenic trace metals, sulfates, and nitrates) in order to comprehensively assess the effects of biodiesel usage on the environment as well as on the human health. Control of particulate emissions using various engine control parameters such as intake air boosting using turbocharging, high pressure fuel injections, multiple injections, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), and after-treatment devices in combination with the use of biodiesel has been critically assessed and included in this review article. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.