Chemistry and water : the science behind sustaining the worlds most crucial resource After air water is the most crucial resource for human survival. To achieve water sustainability we will have to deal with its scarcity and quality and find ways to reclaim it from various sources. Chemistry and Water: The Science Behind Sustaining the Worlds Most Crucial Resource applies contemporary and sophisticated separation science and chromatographic methods to address the pressing worldwide concerns of potable water for drinking and safe water for irrigation to raise food for communities around the world.