Provided herein in is a method of removing phosphorus from a liquid hydrocarbon that includes the steps of (a) contacting the liquid hydrocarbon with an aqueous solution that comprises an oxidizing agent to form a reaction mixture that comprises an aqueous component and a hydrocarbon component, wherein the liquid hydrocarbon comprises at least an alkene(C4-30), and a phosphine(C≦30); (b) reacting the oxidizing agent with the phosphine(C≦30) to form the corresponding phosphine oxide(C≦30); and (c) separating the aqueous component from the hydrocarbon component, thereby removing the phosphine oxide(C≦30) from the liquid hydrocarbon.